Do you want to start or grow a business, freelance career or social enterprise?
If you want to explore ideas, establish an innovative new service or use your skills and specialisms to create your own opportunities, we can help you at every stage of your journey from pre-idea to launch and beyond.
START UP support is open to current students and alumni within 3 years of graduation. Read our guide to The START UP Offer 2022-2023 (PDF:2MB).
We offer tailored, confidential one-to-one advice and coaching. Depending on what stage you're at, you'll meet one-to-one with one of our knowledgable Start-up Advisers or Business Advisers.
All of our advisers have experience of being self-employed and are well connected to further start-up support. You'll gain their insights as well as clear direction on how to achieve your goals.
To access advice and coaching, book an initial 15-minute appointment (online or in person) via MyCareer.
We offer a wide range of skills development workshops and events, including START UP Sprints.
START UP Sprints are a series of intensive workshops and specialist support, which contribute to your Higher Education Achievement Record. Learn more about START UP Sprints.
START UP Founderships is a six-month pre-accelerator programme worth £20,000 for new and recent graduates with ambitious early-stage businesses. Learn more about START UP Founderships.
We can award equity-free grant funding up to £3,000 to those who are already working with a Start-up Adviser and have a clear, genuine need for finances to progress their business opportunity. Learn more about START UP funding.
The START UP Space is a free, open plan co-working area located on Level 1 of the King’s Gate building with space for group work, formal meetings and informal conversations. Turn up with your laptop or use one of our open access workstations whenever you need a city-centre base.
For founders, freelancers and pioneers
We support all areas of the self-employed, working with hundreds of students and graduates as individuals or teams. There are currently over 200 START UP-supported businesses trading with a combined annual turnover of over £155 million. Between them, they've raised over £19 million in external investment, won national and global awards and created over 1,140 full-time equivalent jobs (HE-BCI Survey results 2021-22).
