缅北禁地

Further support for founders

Whether you've just had your first idea or you're already trading, there's something here for you. The resources below are organised by where you are in your founder journey — so you can find the right support at the right time.

Discover: Explore working for yourself

Not sure if entrepreneurship is for you? This is exactly where to start. These resources will help you explore what working for yourself could look like — from testing your entrepreneurial mindset to finding inspiration from founders who started exactly where you are now. No business idea required.

• Looking for a placement in a start-up? Visit . 
• Test your entrepreneurial potential with .
• Map your entrepreneurial competencies with .
• Get valuable advice and insights for freelancers from .
• Plan and develop a viable creative business with .
• Reflect on what is most important when starting up with 20 questions workbook (PDF: 140KB).
•  on various topics to help you on your start-up journey.
•  – for information about immigration routes which can be switched to from a Student visa in the UK including the Graduate visa and the Innovator Founder visa routes.
• - A curated archive of failed start-ups and the lessons left behind.

 

START UP Events and Workshops

Develop: Build skills & test your idea

You've got an idea — now it's time to find out if it has real potential. These tools and resources will help you research your market, build your business model, and grow the skills and knowledge you need to take your idea further. Pair these with a 1:1 adviser appointment to get tailored guidance.

• Use  to define your product-market fit. Watch this  on how to use the canvas.
• Use  to create a business plan. Watch this  on how to use the canvas.
• Use MINTEL, Passport and Statista for access to the latest information, trends and statistics as part of your secondary market research. These platforms are available to current students through the . Graduates can access MINTEL through  in the City Library, in-person. Check with your local BIPC branch if you are no longer in 缅北禁地.
• A Start Up Consultant or Business Adviser can help you access information through COBRA for insights on specific business-related topics. .
• All the tools you need to design your business with . This document will give you everything you need in one. .
• Use the  to understand what questions to ask in your primary market research. Take a look at our  for details on this book and others available in the Philip Robinson Library.

Funding at this stage

Make It Happen Fund — if you're at the early stages of exploring a new opportunity and need some support with activity such as market research, focus groups, interviews or prototyping, the Make It Happen Fund could help. You can apply for up to £500.

Co-working and community

The START UP Space, Level 1, King's Gate building, offers hot-desking and open-plan meeting space. Perfect for catching up with the team and community.

 

Apply for the Make it Happen Fund

START UP Co-Working Space

Launch: Establish and launch your business

Ready to make it real? This section covers everything you need to formally establish your business — from understanding the legal side of self-employment to protecting your intellectual property, accessing grant funding, and trading overseas. Book a 1:1 with an adviser to talk through your next steps.

• Understand the legal side of being self-employed with resources from . Visit their  for guidance on submitting a self-assessment tax return.
• Get training and support on Intellectual Property with the .
• Learn to trade overseas with resources from the .

Funding at this stage

• If you have a well-defined and well researched business idea or early-stage start-up – START UP Grant Funding could be the fund for you.

 

Find out more about Grant Funding

Grow: Scale and grow your business

Funding at this stage

For investment-readiness and scale-up funding conversations, speak to a Start Up adviser about investor network access and regional funding routes.

General sources of support for North East businesses

The North East BIC is a not鈥慺or鈥憄rofit enterprise hub that provides flexible workspace and expert business support to help entrepreneurs and organisations across the region start, grow, and innovate

The North East Chamber of Commerce is the largest and most influential business membership network, supporting, connecting and representing 2,000+ organisations.

The North East Growth Hub can help you find funding and finance and access business support in the North East. Their team of experts are equipped to support you and your business, regardless of your business size or stage.

Networks and Socials

Join a network or attend a social event to make new connections and drive your business forward.

• The Goals Club - run by START UP, Goals Club is a relaxed, cosy and supportive space for female and non-binary students interested in freelancing, side hustles, business ideas or creative projects.
• is a co-working club for those building tech in the UK.
• is a community of tech and startup enthusiasts and professionals getting together to create meaningful connections.
•  provide courses, workshops and events. They also run the .
•  is the North's leading development agency and community for creative professionals.
•  is one of the largest networks within the North East business community.
•  offers business support and events with a focus on digital and tech.
•  are a community for people working in the cultural sector in the North East, or connected to the North East. 
•  is a great source for freelancers, subscribe to the mailing list to hear about their slow networking events
•  and  a good source of networking events

Co-working spaces

Co-working spaces where you can meet like-minded people and access specialist support.

• The START UP Space, Level 1, King's Gate building, offers hot-desking and open-plan meeting space. Perfect for catching up with the team and community.
•  brings researchers, start-ups and international brands together. Perfect for a focus on data science, urban science, or life science.
•  and  both offer hot-desking, meeting rooms and private office space. Perfect for connecting and collaborating with other entrepreneurs.
•  has office space, meeting space, co-working spaces, and a cafe for collaborative working. Perfect if you don't want to walk far from campus.
• , part of Design Network North, offers state-of-the-art audio-visual systems. Perfect for creative and design-led businesses.

Annual Events

Annual start-up events and conferences held in 缅北禁地.

• is a celebration of all areas of design, all types of designers, all industries, all across the North East.
•  is a paid-for conference with a focus on digital and tech. It includes thought-provoking talks, workshops and networking.
•  is a free conference with a focus on innovation. It includes keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and networking.
•  is an annual 5 day festival celebrating tech. It features lots of free events.