CES-0319-Enterprise Showcase

Get involved

Explore our workshops and events to develop your ideas, grow your business and expand your connections

We run workshops and networking opportunities to boost you and your business to the next level. You can also book a 1-1 appointment with us to discuss your business idea or freelancing goals. 

 

RoutetoStartup Workshops

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. 

What does it mean to be a freelancer and how do you become one?

This session will break the myths around freelancing and help you to look at the situation objectively, giving practical tips and advice on how to succeed as a freelancing newbie.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop you will know:

  • What we mean by the term 'freelance' and making a living in the Gig economy
  • How to find customers as a freelancer
  • Have a practical plan to get you started as a freelancer

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Monday 4th December 2023 (In person) 

Monday 19th February 2024 (Virtual)

Ever wondered how business founders come up with their ideas?

Join this workshop to spark your innovation and learn to think like an entrepreneur in a safe, fun environment.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop, you will:

  • Have been introduced to problem-solving and design thinking
  • Understand how to think like an entrepreneur
  • Learn key techniques to turn blue-sky thinking into feasible business ideas.

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Thursday 16th November 2023 (In person) 

Tuesday 13th February 2024 (In person)

You may think you have come up with the best thing since 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
  • 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 5th December 2023 (In person) 

Monday 19th February 2024 (Virtual) 

Tuesday 19th March 2024 (In person) 

Wednesday 17th April 2024 (In person) 

Wednesday 22nd May 2024 (In person)

'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
  • Have a knowledge of the key elements which contribute to a robust business plan
  • Walk away with a template ready to complete your own business plan

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Tuesday 5th December 2023 (In person) 

Monday 19th February 2024 (Virtual) 

Tuesday 19th March 2024 (In person) 

Wednesday 17th April 2024 (In person) 

Wednesday 22nd May 2024 (In person) 

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 5th December 2023 (In person) 

Tuesday 20th February 2024 (Virtual)

 

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:

  • 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 6th December 2023 (In person) 

Tuesday 20th February 2024 (Virtual)

How your target market interacts with your brand, product, service, and 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 customers 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 6th December 2023 (In person) 

Wednesday 21st February 2024 (Virtual)

 

Making that first sale is a great feeling - seeing someone hand over their money in exchange for your product or service is a moment to be celebrated. Join this workshop to learn some top tips and sales techniques and watch your sales grow.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop, you will:

  • Know the difference between sales and marketing
  • Be confident to use effective communication and sales techniques
  • Have a draft template to develop your own sales strategy

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Thursday 7th December 2023 (In person) 

Wednesday 21st February 2024 (Virtual)

Often the hardest part of starting a business is raising the money to get going. You might have a great idea and a 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-ups requires careful planning and management of cash flow. 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 cash flow to manage money more effectively

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Thursday 7th December 2023 (In person) 

Thursday 22nd February 2024 (Virtual)

 

Creating a startup comes from the seed of imagination and passion and like a seed that needs sunlight and water, a startup needs certain resources to grow. Bringing these resources together requires strong project management. This workshop is the beginner's guide to making it all happen. So much to do, and so little time - come and learn some key techniques to getting your business off the ground.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop, you will:

  • Become a better project manager
  • Understand how to accomplish goals faster
  • Have a project management process fit for your startup

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Wednesday 6th December 2023 (In person) 

Tuesday 20th February 2024 (Virtual)

When setting up in business, an understanding of the red tape is needed. By the end of this session, you will have a better knowledge of the different legal entities, tax law, intellectual property law, and insurance requirements all relevant to your startup.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop you will know:

  • What the legal 'must haves' are before starting your business
  • The difference between a sole trader and a limited company
  • Where to get help and support for your business

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Thursday 7th December 2023 (In person) 

Thursday 22nd February 2024 (Virtual)

Social enterprises are businesses that are changing the world for the better. Like traditional businesses, they aim to make a profit but it’s what they do with their profits that sets them apart – reinvesting or donating them to create positive social change. Social enterprises are in our communities and on our high streets – from coffee shops and cinemas to pubs and leisure centres, banks and bus companies. Find out if this is the business type for you.

This is an interactive workshop working with other like-minded students & graduates.

By the end of this workshop, you will:

  • Understand the different aspects that make up a social enterprise and the ways in which a business can be a force for good.
  • Come away with a plan on what type of enterprise you want to operate.

 

Dates for this workshop are below, click on the link to book:

Monday 4th December 2023 (In person) 

Monday 26th February 2024 (Virtual)

 

Be Inspired

Come and hear from entrepreneurs and founders who will share their startup journeys and experiences as part of our regular ‘Be Inspired' online sessions.

Consisting of “Inspire Me” talks and mini StartUp Masterclasses, these online sessions are a fantastic opportunity to learn from others, ask questions directly to someone who has been there and make valuable connections.

All Be Inspired events are 60-minute online workshops, and are open to all students and recent graduates.

 

Alumni profiles need to be requested via the Alumni Team. We're delighted you'd like to use this profile but it's essential we maintain good working relationships with our alumni and therefore we need to make contact with them prior to giving you access. Please click the request button and provide information on your project / campaign / communication.

Inspire Me

These sessions aim to ignite motivation, positivity and personal growth by showcasing our entrepreneur's startup journeys and experiences. Not all startup journeys are easy, and during the series, our speakers will talk about the highs and lows, overcoming challenges and offer their top tips from what they have learnt so far. There will be time at the end of each session for your questions.

 

Upcoming Inspire Me events

23rd January 2019 Postgraduate Ambassador Photoshoot 
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StartUp Mini Masterclasses

These are short, impactful workshops providing the opportunity to gain tangible knowledge and key takeaways on specific topics. 

The objective of the mini masterclasses is to equip participants with actionable insights, tools, or techniques that they can implement in their startups or daily lives.

 

Upcoming StartUp Mini Masterclasses

 

Student StartUp Clinics

Accountancy Clinic

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) 

Friday 22 March           Friday 26 April

 

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.

Tuesday 2 April          Tuesday 7 May

 

 

External opportunities

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.

See all events

 

Meet our startups

Meet some of our entrepreneurs and explore the businesses, ideas and successes. 

Enterprise showcase product design business
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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.

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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

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