

Get involved
Explore our workshops and events to develop your ideas, grow your business and expand your connections
Our events include workshops and networking opportunities to boost you and your business to the next level. Find out about our workshops below or see all of our events.
Enterprise clinic
We run weekly bookable appointments which can take place face to face or by video chat. 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'll help you:
- develop your ideas
- explore a self-employed placement year
- discuss funding opportunities
- select which workshops best suit your idea
- find resources to grow your business
If you're an international student we'll talk you through what you can and can't do as a student on a Tier 4 Visa, and your options upon graduation if you wish to start a business in the UK.
Contact the Student StartUp Team to get started.
Enterprise clinics
Wednesday 2.00pm-4.00pm
Friday 9.30am-11.30am
In person or video chat
Book an Enterprise appointment on MyCareer
Alternatively email studentstartup@port.ac.uk
Development workshops
These workshops provide you with the tools, expertise and inspiration to generate ideas and grow these from initial concepts to fully fledged startups. Our bespoke workshops have helped over two hundred students and graduates per year develop their business ideas.
RoutetoStartup
RoutetoStartup is a series of short hands-on workshops to help you build your own business. Join us on those that are relevant to you.
You may think you have come up with the best thing since the sliced bread, but do others feel the same? Testing your business idea is a necessary preliminary step to identify your target market and refine your business idea with their real-world needs.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will have:
- Feedback from others on your idea
- An improved confidence when talking to others
- A plan of action to move your idea forward
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Tuesday 11 April | 1.15pm - 2.45pm (Online)
Thursday 11 May | 1.15pm - 2.45pm (In person)
Wednesday 7 June | 9.30am - 11.00am (Online)
'A Goal without a Plan is just a Wish'. Join us for this Business Planning session - create your own roadmap that outlines your startup’s goals and the steps to reach them.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will:
- Understand 2 different approaches you can use when it comes to writing your business plan
- Have a knowledge of the key elements which contribute to a robust business plan
- Walk away with a template ready to complete for your own business plan
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Tuesday 11 April | 3.00pm-4.30pm (Online)
Thursday 11 May | 3.00pm - 4.30pm (In person)
Wednesday 7 June | 11.15am - 12.45pm (Online)
Can you identify your values and those of the team?
Your business will likely consume all of your time, so make sure you and your team are passionate about it to make it successful. It’s important that your idea is something you all truly care about, not just something you’ve targeted because it seems like it could be lucrative.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will:
- Know your strengths and areas for development
- Have a greater awareness of your values and an understanding of how these affect business decisions
- Have a plan to build Identify if you need to hire additional resources to fill any gaps
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Tuesday 2 May | 11.00am - 12.30pm (online)
How your target market interacts with your brand, product, service, business is ever changing. Find out about the different marketing strategies you can put in place and how to develop a recognisable brand.
More and more we are seeing traditional marketing channels being replaced, and people are no longer buying into expensive glossy ads but rather buying into people. There are people who inspire us, who we relate to, and who we take notice of. This is where influencer marketing and brand advocacy come in and there is nowhere that this is happening more than social media.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will:
- Know your customer and how best to reach them
- Decide which marketing methods are right for your business (online, offline or both) and the cost implications
- Develop a draft marketing plan
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Wednesday 3 May | 10.00am - 11.30am (Online)
Often the hardest part of starting a business is raising the money to get going. You might have a great idea and clear idea of how to turn it into a successful business. However, if sufficient finance can't be raised, it is unlikely that the business will get off the ground.
Raising finance for start-up requires careful planning and management of cashflow. Here we explore the options available and what is the best route for you.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will:
- Know the different ways to finance a business and what is right for you
- Have draft cashflow to manage money more effectively
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Thursday 4 May | 2.15pm - 3.45pm (Online)
As a business owner in a competitive market, you need to differentiate your business from your competitors. It is what makes you different, your unique selling point or USP, that motivates people to choose you over anyone else.
This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.
By the end of this workshop you will have:
- Know your uniquest selling points
- A competitor analysis of your market
- A plan of how you will stand out from the crowd
Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:
Wednesday 3 May | 1.15pm - 2.45pm (Online)
'Inspire Me'
Come and hear from entrepreneurs and founders who will share their startup journeys and top tips as part of our regular 'Inspire Me' online sessions.
It is a fantastic opportunity to learn from others, ask questions directly to someone who has been there and make valuable connections.
Check our events calendar on MyCareer for any upcoming 'Inspire Me' events!
Opportunities
Accountancy Clinics
Get advice on a range of accountancy related topics at our Accountancy Clinic. Areas of support can cover but are not limited to:
- Startup accountancy advice
- Accessing funding
- Basic accounts - how to set up basic spreadsheets
- Responsibilities for end of year reporting/taxes
- What you can claim as an expense
- VAT advice
- Tax planning
- Setting up financial processes and automation
- Payroll and pension (auto enrolment advice)
These are bookable appointments, which can be booked via the events calendar.
Intellectual Property Clinic
Are you a freelancer, running your own business, developing a product or service? Having the right type of intellectual property protection helps you to stop people stealing or copying the names of your products or brands, your inventions, the design or look of your products and the things you write, make or produce.
If you have a question relating to patents or copyright for your startup book a slot here to have your questions answered by the experts at Maucher Jenkins via a video appointment.
For anything other than patent or copyright queries e.g. Trademark etc - please email studentstartup@port.ac.uk for advice.
Entrepreneurs Society
Are you a budding entrepreneur looking to network with like-minded people, find out more about enterprise and entrepreneurship or perhaps you are ready to launch or develop your own business? We are a student-led initiative looking for new members to join the society.
For more information and to join the society please email entrepreneurs@upsu.net.
Enactus Portsmouth
Do you want to tackle major issues such as homelessness, recycling or other pressing problems in your area? Do you want to advance your skills and enhance your CV? If the answer is yes then Enactus is for you!
For more information and to join the team visit Enactus Portsmouth
Amazon Small Business Accelerator
A free, online educational programme for anyone who wants to start a new online business or grow an existing one. The online learning is tailored to your experience level, with a comprehensive curriculum covering website building, selling online, social media, marketing, managing cashflow, selling on Amazon, and identifying growth opportunities.
i news - 30-minute interviews
To shout about your startup why not contact alys.key@inews.co.uk. Alys is always looking for fast-growing UK businesses to speak for the i's weekly 30-second interview.
Have a look through their archive to see what kind of businesses she's been talking to.
Meet our startups
Meet some of our entrepreneurs and explore the businesses, ideas and successes.

Startup Resources
Explore our startup advice and guidance. Use these resources to develop and build your startup idea from a concept into a functional business.

Innovator Founder Visa for International Students
Explore how to set up your business in the UK as an international student, and find out how we can support you
