Plymouth Science Park firm helps dreams come true

“When I grow up, I’d like to be….” They’re the words which fill parents’ hearts with flutters of hope and aspiration for their child’s future.
A local entrepreneur aims to turn those dreams into reality through a newly created company, Like to be, which is based at Plymouth Science Park.
Plymouth based adventurer and explorer Antony Jinman, who has successfully trekked on foot to both the North and South Poles, aims to engage local businesses in showing how the practical applications of classroom learning can be used in real world situations.
Already Antony has provided a classroom link for children to be able to ask rail engineers questions relating to what they’ve learnt in the classroom and how they can be applied to day to day designs and mechanical tasks.
With his background in mounting successful expeditions to Arctic wastelands, Antony first encouraged children to talk with polar scientists about climate change so they could gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
Students were able to ask questions and hear from the teams of experts who were ‘on the ground.’ They were able to see and provide first hand explanations on how mankind’s influence was impacting the environment.
Antony is currently building Like to be as an ‘Ed Tech’ (educational technology) company and says the surroundings of Plymouth Science Park are ideally suited for the business – especially with its exceptionally fast broadband times.
“Plymouth Science Park is an excellent location for us,” says Antony. “We have recently started work with a PSP mentor who is providing assistance in helping to grow our business.”
“It’s an amazing environment for networking as it actively encourages businesses to share knowledge and network with each other so allowing for the creation of strong partnerships which not only benefit firms but also the local community.”
Antony is only the twelfth Briton to have skied to the North Pole AND undertaken a solo expedition to the South Pole – where thousands of children were able to track his journey through e-mails and satellite updates.
He already successfully manages the Education through Expeditions scheme, set up in 2009, which encourages primary children to engage with workshops which teach youngsters about expedition planning and training.
The project includes the chance for a number of school children to visit Lapland each year where they gain an understanding of how the Sami co-exist with reindeer and are given the opportunity to stay in a forest cabin to learn how to live in the wilderness.