On 27-28 November 2010, Saïd Business School hosted Emerge 2010: The Social Entrepreneurship Conference for Students. Over 400 emerging leaders from across the UK, Europe, and the US gathered for two days to learn from some of the most inspirational social entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide.

Emerge brought over 50 speakers from around the globe, from India to Kenya to California. Speakers shared their models for social and environmental impact, as well as personal stories about facing setbacks, launching their ventures, and raising startup capital. Concurrent tracks enabled participants to gain practical skills for building their own enterprise or careers in the sector, as well as to learn firsthand about the business models transforming traditional markets. Topics ranged from mobile technology, microfinance, affordable healthcare and SMEs in emerging markets, among others.

Highlights of the event included Bunker Roy, Founder of Barefoot College, whose talk on "unlearning what you know" was met with a standing ovation. He encouraged students to "learn by doing", the mantra of his unconventional college which trains illiterate grandmothers to become solar engineers. Another highlight was an inspiring and humorous talk by Tim Smit, Founder of The Eden Project. He opened the second day by reminding participants of the serendipity of collaboration ("Meet the people you didn’t know you were meant to meet") and imparted nuggets of entrepreneurial wisdom on risk-taking, self-belief, and imagination.

"These past two days have created unmatched opportunities for so many students," said Adam Grodecki, Founder of Student Hubs, which co-produced the event. "To have this caliber of speakers, coupled with this large community committed to social impact, is very exciting. It’s inspiring to think about the vast social impact these emerging leaders are having now and will continue to have in the future."

Pamela Hartigan, Director of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, said, "The enthusiasm and energy of Emerge this year is only going to grow. The trend emphasizes how important it is for those of us in academic institutions to be entrepreneurial and creative in responding to the interests of these emerging leaders. We have to join this mushrooming revolution or be left behind."

Emerge was co-produced and co-designed by the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship at Saïd Business School and Student Hubs, a youth-led organisation working in universities across the UK to achieve a step change in student engagement with social and environmental issues. It was supported by Barclays Capital. Only in its second year, Emerge is modeled after the Skoll World Forum, also hosted annually by Saïd Business School.