King’s College London Women Entrepreneurs Network Retreat
100+ aspiring women entrepreneurs from across the UK attended a packed three-day weekend of inspiring and practical content on all aspects of building a venture. From vibe coding to personal branding, financial management and impact storytelling, attendees learnt collaboratively, built their networks and developed their entrepreneurial skills. For the third consecutive year, the retreat was open to the local business community and other universities across the UK, enriching the breadth of the community for those present.

Read more here.

***

Herts: Global Entrepreneurship Week
As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week in November, the Enterprise Team hosted a guest speaker event in collaboration with Herts Student Union, welcoming alumnus Nohman Ahmed, co-founder of Crep Protect. A graduate of BSc (Hons) Aerospace Technology with Management (2009), Nohman shared his entrepreneurial journey, offering practical insights into building a global brand, navigating challenges, and persevering in a competitive market. The session brought together students, alumni, and staff and was followed by an engaging Q&A. The event showcased entrepreneurship in practice and highlighted the impact alumni can have in inspiring future founders.

***

QMUL welcomes Amarachi Clarke FRSA as new Entrepreneur in Residence
Queen Mary’s entrepreneurship team QUEST introduces Amarachi Clarke FRSA as our new Entrepreneur in Residence. Founder of Lucocoa Chocolate and PalmVault, Amarachi brings vital lived experience to our mission of embedding inclusive role models within university innovation.  Drawing on her experience in pioneering ethical entrepreneurship, Amarachi provides practical mentorship on pitching, growth, and investor relations. From 2026, she works exclusively with QMUL’s women entrepreneurs. Amarachi notes: “I genuinely love working with founders in motion to get practical, unblock hurdles, and clarify what matters most to ensure they are wedded to the right ideas.”

***

University of Manchester publishes paper exploring student entrepreneurship
We have just published a paper explaining a novel data warehouse methodology where several sources of internal and external data have been used to collect data on student businesses, ranging from demographic and financial to intellectual property. From 288 student companies first identified, there are some interesting observations – innovation activity is high with 7.0% of ventures having filed patents, exceeding the UK average of 1.6%. 10% are social enterprises, 90% are service businesses, and the three-year survival rate considerably exceeds the UK average. Feedback welcome!

Available Open Access here.

***

Empowering Youth-Social Action: Enactus NextGen Takeover 2026

Join Enactus UK & Ireland on the 14^th and 15^th of April at the ExCeL London to celebrate youth-led civic engagement. This event brings together both staff and students to see first-hand how social enterprise can drive institutional reputation and community impact. Connect with peer universities who are embedding service learning into the student experience and building professional leadership through social action. Whether you are scaling an existing project or looking for new ways to integrate an entrepreneurial mindset, this is the place to be. Complimentary tickets (valued at £150+) are available now. Find out more and secure your place now at: https://www.enactusuki.org/nextgentakeover

 

 

***

Beyond the Pitch: Arden Venture Challenge Part of University’s 10^th Anniversary
The Arden Venture Challenge is bringing student entrepreneurship to life across Arden University. Run by the Arden Enterprise Incubator, the programme helps students turn early ideas into tested ventures through practical workshops, mentoring, and founder roundtables. Rather than focusing on polished pitches, the challenge emphasises customer discovery, experimentation, and evidence-based progress. The programme will culminate in a live Venture Showcase, April 28, 2026, held at the new Stratford, London campus, part of Arden University’s 10^th anniversary celebrations.

ARU: Celebrating International Women’s Day at ARU

Visiting Professor Ren Kapur MBE reflects on this year’s IWD theme, “Give To Gain”—a reminder that progress grows when we give our time, belief, opportunity and trust to others. #IWD began as a collective act of courage, and that legacy still drives the future we choose to shape.

ARU is delighted to welcome Claire Kennedy, Co‑Founder and Joint CEO of PPL, as our IWD 2026 Keynote Speaker, alongside Professor Gary Packham. Claire will explore how the Civil Society Covenant can strengthen collaboration, community cohesion and meaningful impact—true “Give To Gain” in action.  Register now.

***

Four Birmingham Universities Unite Again to Empower Female Founders
For the second year, Birmingham City University, Aston University, University of Birmingham, and University College Birmingham partnered to support student and graduate female founders. The enhanced 5-week programme delivered core start-up knowledge and new insights to reduce barriers and build an empowered entrepreneurial community, with 10 participants from each university. Thanks to HSBC, new IP partner Forresters, and inspiring female judges for their invaluable support. The initiative concluded with a December showcase where six finalists pitched for a £4,000 prize pot. Congratulations to winners Audrey Berling (UoB) and Joanna Twardowska (UCB) for their creativity and resilience!

***

Warwick: Designing Together: a fresh way into design thinking for enterprise educators

Looking for an engaging way to introduce design thinking in your teaching? The 10-day Designing Together Challenge offers a practical, accessible entry point into design thinking. Paired with the Designing Together Cards, it gives educators and students a hands-on way to explore mindsets, prompts, and practices you can immediately apply in your work. Designed for Higher Education innovation contexts, it’s especially powerful for enterprise educators supporting entrepreneurial thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Whether you’re teaching design thinking, co-designing learning experiences with your stakeholders, or weaving it into the entrepreneurial toolkit, this is a resource worth exploring.

***

Exeter: UIIN Entrepreneurial Universities Forum.

On 22-23 April, the University of Exeter are hosting the first UIIN Entrepreneurial Universities Forum. The Forum will explore how universities are becoming more entrepreneurial in practice – through entrepreneurship pathways, new institutional models, and closer integration between education, innovation, and external engagement. Attendees will have opportunity to share insights on their entrepreneurial ecosystems, whilst gaining valuable insights from sector-leading programmes and entrepreneurial institutions from UIIN’s global network. You can find further details and book your early-bird ticket now at UIIN Entrepreneurial Universities Forum | UIIN

***

Derby: People’s Choice Award

A University of Derby Game Changer student has won the People’s Choice Award at January’s Global Demo Night, hosted by Canopy. Michael Nweke, alongside co-founder Lucky Nweke, impressed a global audience of founders, operators and investors with their blockchain-based digital inheritance concept, Heir Trust. Voted for by peers, the award recognised the pitch’s human-centred approach, global relevance and thoughtful early-stage execution. The cross-border founding team is now using the momentum to pursue partnerships, advisors and further pitch opportunities through student and founder pathways. Read more here.

 ***

UCB: Certificate in Entrepreneurship

Our Level 5 Business Enterprise students are piloting the Certificate in Entrepreneurship this academic year, aiming to develop skills for starting and growing a business. Working in groups, students create visions, pitch ideas, and explore opportunities within SME and national contexts, developing action plans to test and refine their concepts. At the end, students will receive a digital badge to showcase on LinkedIn, supporting their career readiness. This university-wide initiative is led by Business Enterprise, which is supporting team training and development across subject areas.

 

We are pleased to formally congratulate AGCAS on its recent transition to the name Graduate Futures Institute. This change marks a significant milestone in the organisation’s development and reflects a forward-looking commitment to advancing thinking, practice, and policy in graduate careers, employability, and future-focused education.

The Graduate Futures Institute’s new name and identity signal an expanded and evolving role within the sector, while maintaining the strong foundations and values for which AGCAS has long been recognised. The Institute continues to play a vital role in shaping discourse, professional standards, and innovation across higher education and graduate development.

We are also delighted to reaffirm our ongoing collaboration through our Memorandum of Understanding with the Graduate Futures Institute. Our partnership is built on shared priorities and a collective commitment to supporting educators, practitioners, and institutions through high-quality research, professional development, and knowledge exchange. We are working closely together across a number of strategic areas and look forward to further strengthening this relationship as the Graduate Futures Institute embarks on this next chapter.

We wish the Graduate Futures Institute every success and look forward to continuing our close and productive collaboration in the years ahead.

UCL: Ten university startups take part in UK-Swiss entrepreneurship exchange

The UK-Swiss Entrepreneurship Exchange Programme 2025, a partnership between UCL and EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, with support from Innovaud and the Swiss and British embassies, is helping early-stage ventures expand globally. The programme features groundbreaking startups, from cancer therapy tools to wearable devices for early diagnosis and cryogenic electronics for quantum computing. This year, five EPFL startups visited UCL in September, followed by five UCL ventures in Switzerland in November, engaging with investors, mentors, and industry leaders to build lasting collaborations. Read more.

****

Derby: Banks Mill Studios

Banks Mill Studios, the University of Derby’s creative industries incubator recently showcased its artists and makers, including students and graduates in their annual Open Studios event.

Kicking off with a festive VIP event recent graduate, Rebecca Johnstone welcomed guests with her singing, performing original tracks as well as launching her new business, Between the Notes music therapy. It enabled the University’s student residency winners to showcase their work for the first time, with the event officially opened by Donald Yerima a third year fashion student, who has set up his clothing brand, Trapmass, along with fellow winners. Read more.

****

NTU: Trent Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) event

On Wednesday 26 November, NTU Enterprise at Nottingham Trent University hosted the first Trent Institute for Learning and Teaching (TILT) event of 2025, designed to raise awareness and offer support for students interested in launching their own business ventures. NTU Sport Management alumni returned to share their experiences, with graduates Mykah Skervin, Callum Foster and Jess Norville outlining their entrepreneurial journeys and offering practical suggestions for embedding enterprise more fully across NTU degree programmes. They also highlighted valuable ways to increase student awareness of the support NTU Enterprise provides for new start-ups. For more information, please follow the link.

****

Professor David A Kirby – recognition of his global pioneering contribution to EE

In January the International Council for Small Business announced its annual Power 10 list of visionary leaders, dynamic entrepreneurs and transformative changemakers responsible for advancing entrepreneurship as a force for economic progress and societal transformation worldwide. Professor David A Kirby was included in the list in recognition of his global pioneering contribution to Entrepreneurship Education and as the originator of the Harmonious Entrepreneurship paradigm. Each of the 10 leaders in the list is recognised  not just  for advancing Entrepreneurship as an economic engine but as a force for human dignity, opportunity and sustainable development.

****

King’s Women Entrepreneurs Business Retreat Applications

The annual KCL WEN Business Retreat is coming up on the 27^th Feb, 1^st & 2^nd of March. We’re offering spaces to EEUK founder communities to join us for a weekend of learning and growth.  We have limited places available but will accept applications from up to 3 members from an individual university community (whilst spaces are available).

For more information and to apply please fill in this form  (https://forms.office.com/e/dCTPP0QViY) or contact Jess on Jessica.horwill@kcl.ac.uk

Applications close:  23:59 UK time, 16th February 2026. Please note this is a free event but is only held in person and in Central London. No travel or accommodation is provided.

****

UCL MSc Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise

UCL MSc Bioscience Innovation and Enterprise is delighted to be expanding student intake for 2026.  Based at one of UCL’s key translational departments (Ophthalmology), our alumni careers are showing that bespoke science enterprise teaching works. The degree is becoming a valuable pivot point for those who want to work with, rather than in, science, and make a real-world difference. Content stays close to the science/business interface – how to interrogate science for innovation and link that opportunity to business. We’re keen to bring in guest lecturers from other regions to fuel growth, so please contact f.reid@ucl.ac.uk or direct science students to an Open Event.

Salford: Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025

During Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025, Salford Business School delivered an ambitious and inclusive enterprise programme that engaged 368 students across seven activities and connected them with more than 60 businesses. Sessions explored technology innovation, sustainability, purposeful business, leadership and investment readiness, giving students meaningful insight into contemporary entrepreneurial practice. The highlight of the week was our civic partnership with Salford City Council, where a co creative hackathon enabled students to address real local enterprise challenges and propose solutions to inequalities in participation across Salford. GEW 2025 reflects our commitment to accessible enterprise learning, civic collaboration and impactful student opportunities.

****

Teesside: Leveraging Generative AI to Enhance Students’ Entrepreneurial Mindset through the EntreComp Framework and Dooyeweerd’s 15 Aspects of Everyday Life
Dr Gbemisola Ogbolu (PI) & Dr Sina Joneidy (Co-I) 

This EEUK-funded project embedded Generative AI into enterprise education using a dual-framework model combining EntreComp’s 15 competencies with Dooyeweerd’s 15 everyday aspects. Delivered across three modules to 132 students, the approach improved engagement, creativity, and reflective thinking. Insights from students, staff, and business leaders emphasised the need for ethical guidance and support. Outputs include a practical, open-access toolkit featuring AI prompts, reflection templates, and visual framework mappings. This toolkit offers educators a tested model to foster ethically grounded, future-ready mindsets in enterprise education.

****

Gifts from UCL entrepreneurs for everyone on your list
UCL has a thriving entrepreneurial community of startups creating unique products and services. In this year’s UCL festive gift guide, find presents you’re unlikely to find in the shops and support a UCL-created business at the same time. All the businesses featured have received support from The Hatchery incubator programme at BaseKX, UCL’s dedicated entrepreneurship hub in King’s Cross.

Browse the UCL Festive Gift Guide

****

ARU Supports Emerging International Entrepreneurs

Anglia Ruskin Enterprise Academy is launching the Global Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme (GEAP), running February–May 2026 and designed for international students and recent graduates ready to turn bold ideas into real UK ventures. GEAP offers hands-on workshops, inspiring mentoring, and personalised guidance to help participants sharpen their business concepts, validate markets, and build investment-ready plans. With only 25 places available, this is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic community of innovators, strengthen entrepreneurial skills, and take confident steps toward launching a business in the UK. Read more here.

****

Arden Enterprise Incubator drives career-focused venture impact

Arden University’s Enterprise Incubator (AEI) has delivered its first full cycle, engaging more than 800 students and strengthening Arden’s career-driven approach to learning. Through a 7-week Enterprise Bootcamp, weekly founder talks and over 80 one-to-one coaching sessions, AEI is helping students turn ideas into viable ventures while building practical skills valued by employers. Early ventures successes include angel investment for food discovery app Healthblokk and pilot and market-testing for AI-powered ventures ChironLearn and SimCore. AEI will launch the Arden Venture Challenge in 2026, showcasing student innovation at Arden’s new Stratford campus in April.

****

University of Exeter Startups Gift List

The University of Exeter Student Startups team have released their annual Student Startups Christmas gift list, featuring an inspiring selection of products created by student and graduate-led businesses. Find the perfect gift while supporting Exeter’s entrepreneurial talent. From games to skincare to food & drink, there’s something for everyone! Read more.

Derby: Student Residency Awards.

The University of Derby are pleased to announce the winners of their student residency award.  This is a fantastic opportunity for students and graduates to develop new work and business skills in a creative and collaborative environment.Five winners spanning a variety of different disciplines have been selected and will have access to rent free studio space at Banks Mill Studios for 12 months, along with access to professional advice and the opportunity to showcase their work at the annual Open Studios in November and a joint exhibition in July 2026. Read more about the winners here.

Open Studios https://www.banksmill.co.uk/openstudios/

***** 

Cardiff: Enactus World Cup

A team of Cardiff University students and alumni has become the first team in Wales to represent Enactus UK and Ireland at the Enactus World Cup.

Drawn from the Schools of Engineering and Physics and Astronomy, the team brought home $1,000 in prize money after making it to the last 16 of the Enactus World Cup 2025 held in Bangkok, Thailand. Hajira Irfan, Harry Parkinson and Benjamin Drury, pitched their carbon capture system Spiruflow to Enactus judges and made it to the top 16 in the competition, a great achievement considering they had been an Enactus team for under a year. Read more here.

 

*****

Salford: UK Festival of Social Science

As part of the UK Festival of Social Science, the University of Salford, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Young Enterprise (UK) recently joined together for an inspiring workshop exploring how entrepreneurial mindsets can support sustainability and positive social change. Bringing together a diverse mix of participants from different sectors, we explored how empowering the next generation with entrepreneurial thinking can catalyst meaningful change, in business, in communities, and in the world around us.  Also, a huge shout-out to Gideon Okorie for capturing the entrepreneurial spirit of the night with these amazing pictures.

 

*****

UWTSD: Harmonious Heroes: Building Enterprising Contributors in Wales

Developed by Dr Felicity Healey-Benson (Emergent Thinkers, Harmonious Entrepreneurship Society), the Harmonious Heroes initiative models whole-school entrepreneurial immersion across primary and secondary education. Drawing on the EntreComp framework integrated with Curriculum for Wales, learners co-created sustainable responses to local challenges while weaving new relationships with businesses, civic partners, and community actors. Their work was celebrated in a two-day public showcase, captured in a short video reel that features 53 partnerships brokered through the process. The initiative demonstrates how relational, value-creating education can regenerate communities as living ethical entrepreneurial ecosystems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9dxYLq1YvY

#GEW2025 #HarmoniousHeroes #EnterprisingContributors #EntEdCymru

*****

Enterprise for Everyone: The Rob Wood Enterprising Futures Academy, in collaboration with Newcastle University, launch their first week of enterprise events.

In October, The Rob Wood Enterprising Futures Academy welcomed 155 students from North-East schools on to campus for a bespoke Enterprise Day. These aimed to increase entrepreneurial awareness and equip students with tools to succeed in enterprise and in life. The most popular activity was an egg-drop challenge which encouraged students to think creatively about their solution. Following the events, 75% of attendees agreed that the activities helped to improve their employability skills, demonstrating the impact of hands-on learning. The academy now looks forward to their December Enterprise Week, when over 200 students will join them to discover their potential!

****

Aberystwyth University: Entrepreneurial News

Aberystwyth University has had an exciting start to its new era of enterprise, focussing on sustainable and ethical innovations. This was kick-started by its annual ideas competition, which this year awarded £4,000 each to five businesses focussing on promoting literature in the digital age, holistic healthcare, AI-powered vocal technology, agricultural production, and local services. This was followed by the first two events in its Innovating Our Futures talk series, where academics, entrepreneurs, students and key figures come together to discuss entrepreneurial interventions in response to the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Last week, The Entrepreneurs Network published Ambition Unlimited, a new policy report exploring how young founders view the UK’s startup ecosystem. Based on insights from nearly 200 young entrepreneurs, the report uncovers what’s working, where challenges lie, and how we can better support the next generation of founders.
Read the full report here: https://www.tenentrepreneurs.org/ambition-unlimited

Among its recommendations are:

• Improving access to investment by modernising EIS and SEIS for today’s realities.
• Keeping the UK open to international talent, including recognising equity in visa salary thresholds.
• Ensuring public support programmes add real value for early-stage founders.
• Maintaining competitive tax rates to encourage scaling and reinvestment.

As Sean Kohli, Chair of the Young Entrepreneurs Forum, notes:

“If we want high-growth startups, we need to compete properly… The UK has extraordinary potential, but potential is not enough if it is not matched with action.”

The report reminds us that while young entrepreneurs see the UK as a strong place to build, other nations are accelerating fast, making it vital to remove barriers and create conditions where ambition can thrive.

Swansea University Student Enterprise Team achieve 3rd globally at Triple E Awards 2025
Swansea University’s Student Enterprise Team has been celebrated on the global stage at the Triple E Awards 2025 in Prague, achieving 3rd place worldwide (the highest ranked European institution) in the “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activators of the Year” category. The award honours teams driving entrepreneurship and innovation in higher education, recognising Swansea’s success in fostering entrepreneurial spirit and innovative thinking across its community. Student Enterprise Manager, Kelly Jordan, proudly represented the team. This achievement highlights the team’s inclusive and impactful approach, which continues to empower students and graduates to turn ideas into ventures that create meaningful change.”

****

UCL: Ten years of nurturing entrepreneurs at BaseKX

UCL’s entrepreneurship hub in King’s Cross has supported thousands of staff, students and graduates since it opened its doors in 2015.
Over 600 of them have gone on to launch their own startups.  “Without the support we’ve had from UCL, we’d very likely still be a small business run from our kitchen table in our spare time.”

These are the words of Jacob Wedderburn-Day (MSc Economics 2016) who co-founded his own startup Stasher in 2015, with support from the Hatchery incubator programme, which is located at BaseKX, and run by UCL Innovation & Enterprise.

Here we look back at some of the many success stories

******

Southampton: Student Founder Showcase

On Wednesday 15^th October, the University of Southampton Student Enterprise team hosted their annual Student Founder Showcase – a celebration of student creativity, ambition, and innovation. It was a truly inspiring night celebrating innovation, collaboration, and the entrepreneurial spirit that thrives at Southampton.

 

 

 

******

Liverpool: Publication of new textbook

We are delighted to announce the publication of our textbook: ‘Social Entrepreneurship in Practice: learn how to create and manage a successful social enterprise’ –  a culmination of insights and contributions from leading voices in the social entrepreneurship field. Drawing on experiential learning and enquiry-based pedagogies, the textbook integrates real-world case studies, reflective exercises, and applied learning activities that are of value to both students and entrepreneurship and enterprise educators.

Join us online for our launch on Monday 3^rd November 13:30 – 14.30 (GMT) to learn from experts in the field and get inspired to make a positive impact through your work.

Register here.

 

 

*****

Salford Business School Ignites Enterprise Across Greater Manchester

As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2025, Salford Business School will host a vibrant programme of events connecting students, entrepreneurs, policymakers and schools across Greater Manchester. Activities include a Civic Co-Creative Hackathon with Salford City Council, the Technology and Sustainability Expo, and Enterprise That Matters, celebrating social entrepreneurship. Through GM IoT, the School is also engaging schools and colleges in “Tech for Good” activities linking digital innovation to community impact. Together, these initiatives showcase how Salford is leading inclusive, purpose-driven enterprise for students and the wider region.

*****

Derby: Game Changer Labs Open for Business

Game Changer Labs has officially opened in Derby’s iconic Cavendish Building, quickly becoming a hub for the city’s startup community. The first event, Butties & Business, marked the launch of Derby’s new open startup network and is part of the University of Derby’s wider Enterprise & Entrepreneurship initiative. The Labs have also inspired the launch of the Game Changer Awards — a new enterprise competition featuring live pitches, demos, and purposeful networking opportunities. Learn more or get involved by contacting enterprise@derby.ac.uk

 

 

UCL’s ambitious entrepreneurs pitch for investment at London Demo Day

The most promising entrepreneurs from across London’s top universities pitched their startups to investors at London Demo Day 2025, hosted by UCL. The annual event, which took place at the UCL Institute of Education, brought together investors and the most promising startups from UCL, the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE), King’s College London, Imperial College London and Queen Mary University of London.

******

Salford: Advanced Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference

Gabi Round and Dr Jonathan Owens from Salford University with colleagues from Hertfordshire, Liverpool and MMU gave an interactive workshop at the recent Advanced Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference exploring how Experiential Learning nurtures entrepreneurial mindsets, sustainability, and social impact. We identified best practices from the Young Enterprise (UK) Start-Up Programme from our HEI’s and how Experiential Learning can foster inclusivity and equal opportunities.  Our current in progress project combines teaching case studies from around the world into a book, where it will focus on key learning and best practices on entrepreneurship, enterprise, and entrepreneurial learning from Higher Education and how it can support and foster inclusivity and equal opportunities for all students.”

******

Innovator International

Innovator International would like to thank everyone who took the time to talk to us at IEEUK 2025. We now have 20 founding members of our HEI Strategic Support Network.

This is a free service which gives HEIs the following benefits:

• Stay up to date with the latest visa and policy developments
• Understand how best to support and guide your students
• Support international entrepreneurs to take their next step
• Strengthen your student offer and influence future government policy
• Maintain direct connection to a Home Office-approved Endorsing Body

If you’d like to join us, email keith@innovatorinternational.com for more details.

******

Newcastle: Collaborative programme

Newcastle University are piloting a collaborative programme between the Careers Service and the School of Mathematics, working closely with the School’s Academic Lead for Employability and Enterprise. The initiative embeds employability skills within the curriculum while explicitly incorporating enterprise education as a key strand. Through a suite of interactive sessions, students develop project management, teamwork, presentation, and problem-solving skills, framed around real-world, challenge-based learning. This partnership supports the School’s ambitions to enhance graduate outcomes while aligning with the Careers Service’s strategic goals, ensuring that enterprise is not an add-on but a central component of students’ academic and professional development.

******

Lancaster: From Canvas to Cultivation: New Beginnings for Simon and Charlotte

 After more than a decade shaping EntEd at Lancaster University and the sector, Simon Harrison is beginning a new chapter with his family in France. A generous contributor to our community, bringing creativity playfulness and PechaKucha poetry, Simon championed the Business Model Canvas at EEUK and secured funding for projects like Black Swan, the IP board game. At Lancaster, he created ‘Work in Progress,’ a home for entrepreneurial learning. Blending business, community, and authentic learning by doing, Simon & Charlotte (Stuart) are cultivating a sustainable flower farm! Blog to follow!

 

******

Tata Varsity Pitch has launched for 2025!

Tata Varsity Pitch is a national early-stage business pitching competition that celebrates the best student and graduate business across the UK. Varsity Pitch has run for over fifteen years and applications are now open for 2025.

All UK students and recent graduates are eligible. There’s £25,000 of equity-free prizes across five categories. Finalists will be offered mentoring through Tata Group companies including Jaguar Land Rover, Taj Hotels and Tetley tea!

Find out more at www.varsitypitch.org.

Universities can request customised promotion packs. Varsity Pitch is managed by Centre for Entrepreneurs with support from WIRED.

******

Envestors demonstrate impact of international entrepreneurs in Annual Innovator Founder Visa Report.

Envestors, a Home Office appointed endorsing body for the Innovator Founder Visa, has released a report analysing the first two years of the Innovator Founder route, which replaced the legacy Start-up and Innovator routes in 2023. The research demonstrates the impact international talent can achieve in contributing to the UK economy.

Some of the key findings from over 1500 applications include:

 

• 90% of applicants educated to Bachelor’s or Master’s degree level.
• 52% applying from within the UK (with many graduating from UK research institutions).
• 30 of applicants are female.
• 90% of endorsed businesses are registered in London

Access the full report here.

EEUK is proud to announce that Nottingham Business School, part of Nottingham Trent University, has been selected as the host institution for the prestigious 20th anniversary International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference (IEEC2026), taking place in September 2026.

IEEC2026 will bring together leading global educators, practitioners, and policymakers to advance the future of enterprise and entrepreneurship education worldwide. This milestone event further strengthens Nottingham Business School’s position as a centre of excellence in entrepreneurship, enterprise, and innovation.

The conference will explore how entrepreneurial activity can be embedded across and beyond higher and further education, promote cross-disciplinary approaches, and showcase innovative teaching and practice. Delegates will engage in shaping policy discussions that drive sustainable global enterprise, while also benefiting from exceptional opportunities for collaboration, networking, and open debate with international peers.

Errol Hemans, Conference Chair and Senior Lecturer in Management and Entrepreneurship at Nottingham Business School, said:  “We are honoured to host IEEC2026 at such a significant milestone in its history. Nottingham’s reputation as a vibrant hub of entrepreneurship and innovation provides the perfect platform for global collaboration. We look forward to inspiring bold ideas that will shape the future of education, enterprise, and society”.

Nottingham offers a fitting backdrop for this landmark anniversary. The city is widely recognised as a hub for innovation and enterprise, excelling in sectors including life sciences, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, engineering, and fast-growing digital and creative industries. Its dynamic ecosystem of university-industry partnerships continues to deliver impact regionally, nationally, and globally.

Steve Aicheler, EEUK Operations and Business Development Manager, commented “We’re really excited to bring IEEC to Nottingham, it’s fitting that our 20^th conference is in a city which is at the heart of the UK both physically and metaphorically. Being able to connect with our community in such a dynamic and diverse location will really enhance their experience.”