APPLE boss Tim Cook will be visiting the city today to open a new entrepreneurial hub at Oxford University.

The Oxford Foundry - on the site of the former Wahoo nightclub in Hythe Bridge Street - aims to build a community of innovation across the university. 

It will be a place for students to generate ideas and initiatives that address business and societal issues. And they will be encouraged to play a major role in designing and leading activities. 

Already the university has produced more founders of 'unicorn businesses' (a technology company with a valuation of more than $1bn) than any other in Europe and the Oxford Foundry will support the insititution to continue translating academic research into innovative solutions.

Building on the success and popularity of the Oxford Launchpad at Saїd Business School, which is home to the Entrepreneurship Centre and Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, the Oxford Foundry was initiated and developed by Oxford Saїd for the benefit of the whole of the university. 

It is housed in a renovated Victorian ice factory and is spread over two floors.

It offers co-working space, presentation areas, and a café at ground level - enabling entrepreneurially-minded people to meet, collaborate, create new ventures, or build the skills to bring innovation into their careers.

Upstairs, there is an incubator space for accelerating new ventures.

Director of Oxford Foundry, Ana Bakshi, said: "Entrepreneurship is of increasing importance to students.

"As a generation, millennials desire to be more socially responsible, innovative and to make an impact.

Whether starting their own ventures or aspiring to lead in organisations, the Oxford Foundry will develop students’ entrepreneurial skills, understanding and self-efficacy.

"The aim is to create future leaders whatever career they pursue."