Student StartUp support

If you're looking to develop entrepreneurial skills, get startup advice or build a business, there's not better place to do it than in the UK's most entrepreneurial city 2020 (Instant Offices). And we'll help you while you're at university and up to 5 years after you graduate.

We're here to help you get your idea off the ground or take your existing startup to the next level. We offer expert advice, workshops, co-working space, networking opportunities and lots of useful resources. We’re here to help at no cost to you and no loss of ownership; your idea is your idea.

We'll support you to create the next big thing, help others, or support yourself.

Getting started

If you already have an idea your first step is to discuss it with the team.  For the time being all of our meetings have gone virtual, this includes our enterprise clinics. To speak to a member of the team you can book an ‘Enterprise Advice’ slot on the appointment tab of MyCareer.

If you can't make the times on MyCareer, you can email us at studentstartup@port.ac.uk to make alternative arrangements. We can arrange appointments via video call or over the phone.

The Enterprise Programme

 It's education, but not as we know it

The Enterprise Programme is all about developing you and your approach to being more enterprising. That could be your life at home, at work or as part of a new venture, anything really - the choice is yours!

See what enterprising people look like, how confident they are, the competencies they have and the tips and tricks they use to make it in life.

The programme consists of nine modules across nine weeks. Each module is two hours long and you can choose to join in person or online. You will be put into a peer group with 3 or 4 other people, which will become your professional friendship group on the programme and it is our hope that you will form lifelong links with these people.

Participants will also benefit from continual diagnostic opportunities to self monitor your progress, access to a reflective journal, a personal mentor for the duration of the programme and the opportunity to apply for a maximum of £3,000 to support your onward enterprising journey.

Programme Themes

The programme has a number of themes:

• Induction - Get to know the programme, what's involved and what to expect
• Ideas and Opportunities - Learn how to create and trust your ideas
• Resources - Find help and resources to be enterprising
• Into Action - Learn how enterprising people make things happen
• Onward - Make a plan for your future (and nobody else's)

Modules

The modules are clustered into groups of three. We hope you will attend all nine, however if you need to you can break from the programme after modules 3, 6 and 9 and still get recognition of your participation. The modules are:

1. Induction - Get to know the programme, what's involved and what to expect
2. Storytelling - Learning to tell your story, the problem you have identified and the creative approach to a solution
3. Tear it apart - Looking at you and your thinking, being self critical, self aware, understanding self efficacy and valuing the opinions of others
4. As soon as - Be motivated, persevere, utilise other people (network and colleagues) to get started
5. Research - What does the environment around you look like, how do you research and evaluate options
6. Thick skin - Resilience, wellbeing, how do you keep going? How do you cope with ambiguity, uncertainty and risk - making them your friends and not your enemies.
7. Utilise people - Planning, finding trusted people, building a network and a tribe that will support you
8. Put it to the test - there's no time for perfect, enterprising people get going and improve as they go
9. Supported - Onward planning, making this the start of your enterprise journey and not the end.

The course starts on Wednesday 23 February 2022 and will be held every Wednesday afternoon at the University's Future Technology Centre or online (the choice is yours).[Apply Now]

Enterprise Clinics

Self-employment placements

You can take on a self-employed placement year (SEP) on most of our undergraduate courses. You'll do your placement between your second and third years of study, replacing the traditional placement year in industry with starting and running a business of your own. Your placement will support and develop your enterprise skills while you start and run your business or social enterprise.

Find out more about your self-employment placement options by visiting our enterprise clinic. Your Faculty's placement office can also give you advice, support and information on doing a self-employed placement year.

More about our startup services

Accelerating Women's Enterprise

Accelerating Women's Enterprise (AWE) is a project that combines research with training and mentoring for female entrepreneurs. You can join it if you have a business idea or have already set up your business. 

The project aims to address the gender gap in entrepreneurship by helping women overcome the barriers they face when starting and growing businesses, such as age or social background, caring responsibilities, and a lack of relatable role models. 

Register your interest in training or in being matched with a mentor. Find out more about AWE.

Innovation Connect