Starting your own business
How the Startups team can help you
The Essex Startups team supports students and graduates who are interested in starting their own business and want to discuss, develop, test and launch their ideas.
It doesn't matter where you are in your start-up journey, we are here to help you with mentoring, essential skills workshops, and funding opportunities. Our highly-skilled team are here to offer trusted and sincere advice on your next steps.
We are here to help you if:
- you've got an idea for a business
- you've starting developing a business plan
- your business is up and running
Throughout the academic year, we also host a variety of workshops, funding competitions and activities, all tailored to help you get your business ready. You can find these by selecting 'Entrepreneurship' on CareerHub or keeping track of our events on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Meet with us
1:1 mentoring
We offer free 1:1 business advice to students, staff and graduates of the University. These sessions can offer guidance and practical information to help you develop your ideas and structure your start-up.
In these sessions, you can talk about your business ideas and find out how the University can help you to move your business forward. Just email startups@essex.ac.uk to arrange meeting.
Please note, 1:1 mentoring is offered by appointment only.
Grow with us
Weekly workshops
Our 2.5 hour workshops are bursting with advice and guidance and are focused on helping you approach various aspects of the business knowledge necessary for your start-up. These sessions are open to all Essex students and graduates, and we encourage you to attend as many as you can! Here are just some of the topics we cover throughout the year:
- Market research - Learn great techniques to analyse and understand your market to see where you and your business fit in.
- Sales and pricing - Make sure you get your figures right to take the best first step into the world of small business. Getting those initial numbers in place could make a difference in your start-up journey.
- Marketing strategy - Every good idea needs a good story to sell it. You may know your product or service inside out, but how do you get everyone on board? Learn about useful techniques to spread the good word about your start-up
- Social media strategy - Social media is pretty big news these days, make sure you know how to use it to help your business and connect you to your customers.
- Finance and accounting - An essential part of any start-up, keeping great records and forecasting for the future can help take your fledgling company to the next level.
All workshops are bookable through CareerHub - simply browse 'Entrepreneurship'
Weekenders and bootcamps
Our interactive weekenders and bootcamps are a great way to focus on your business in greater depth, and working collaboratively with like-minded individuals. Whether you are still formulating ideas or are ready to thrash out your marketing strategy, we cover a host of different topics to help you make the best of your start-up. Book your place through CareerHub.
Funding opportunities
Essex Startups offers various ways to develop your business ideas, entrepreneurial skills, and secure funding to take your business to the next step.
From The Big Idea to Dragons Den and the Essex Startups Grant, we host pitching events throughout the year to help aid the progression of your start-up. Keep an eye on our LinkedIn and Instagram for investment announcements.
Studio X
Studio X is a vibrant hub of start-up activity and home to the Essex Startups team, the University’s dedicated service to help students and graduates turn big ideas into big businesses. We offer a supportive and nurturing co-working space for student and graduate start-ups to call their own. With access to hot-desk space, 1:1 business support, and fun and interesting workshops and events to boost your entrepreneurial skills, our thriving start-up community can be found at the Innovation Centre, on the Knowledge Gateway.
External resources
