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Innovation & Enterprise

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Explore your entrepreneurial idea

15 January 2025–26 February 2025, 4:30 pm–6:30 pm

People writing at a workshop at UCL BaseKX

Learn what’s involved in starting a business or social enterprise and take your first steps on the journey. You could also win a share of £3,000. Free, in-person, 6-week programme for students, staff and recent graduates.

Event Information

Open to

UCL staff | UCL students | UCL alumni

Availability

Yes

Organiser

UCL Innovation & Enterprise

Location

UCL BaseKX
103c Camley Street
London
N1C 4PF

Overview

This free 6-week programme will help you start to turn an idea or passion into a viable business or social enterprise.

You’ll work alongside other entrepreneurs to sharpen your skills, stress test your ideas and establish a market for your business or social enterprise.

You'll also have the chance to win a portion of the £3,000 prize fund to help develop your business further.

Who it’s for

This programme is for UCL students who are new to entrepreneurship or want to refine their knowledge.

Staff, research associates and recent graduates (within 2 years of graduating) may also take part but will not be able to win the prize money.

You don’t need any experience or a business idea. If you don’t already have an idea to explore, the first session will help you come up with an idea to work on for the rest of the programme. Or you can attend our ideation workshop which specifically focuses on techniques to generate and refine business ideas.

Businesses already in the Hatchery incubator or endorsed for a Start-up or Innovator visa cannot attend this programme.

What you’ll learn

The programme will help you:

  • develop confidence in your idea
  • explore and test your idea to ensure it's realistic
  • understand who your customers and stakeholders are
  • understand the steps to getting your service or product to your customers
  • understand business basic finance, including cost structures and revenue streams
  • perform market research
  • practise and improve your business pitching skills

What to expect

Sessions are held on Wednesdays evenings at BaseKX, UCL’s entrepreneurship hub in King’s Cross.

In the interactive, activity-based sessions, you’ll work through each section of the Business Model Canvas to stress-test your idea, and ultimately create a final pitch deck and presentation of your work.

You’ll receive a certificate of completion and learn about opportunities for developing your idea further.

Pitching competition

In the final session, you'll have the chance to take part in a pitching competition. It’s not compulsory but it’s a great way to practise your presentation skills.

To qualify you’ll need to:

  • attend 5 out of 6 sessions
  • show how you’ve explored and tested your idea

While everyone on the programme is welcome to take part in the competition, only students are eligible to win prize money. If you're part of a team, you'll only be able to win any prize money if the lead applicant is a UCL student.

About the tutor

Kaitlin Fritz is an award-winning entrepreneur, enterprise educator and business coach who has supported over 800 startup founders worldwide. With her founder-first approach, she's built entrepreneurship programs globally, guest lectured at universities in the UK and abroad, and coached ventures from idea stage to Series A. She's been honoured by Forbes 30 Under 30, Great British Entrepreneur Awards, and Startups Magazine, and shares her insights on the entrepreneurial journey with her podcast Everyday Entrepreneurship. 

Accessibility

If you have any accessibility requirements or requests, please let us know in the signup form.

Photography

Filming and photography will take place at this event for promotional purposes. The photographs and recordings will appear on our website and social media channels. If you do not wish to be filmed or photographed, please let a member of staff know on arrival.

Dates and times

This programme has 6 sessions in total:

  • Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
  • Wednesday, 22 January 2025, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
  • Wednesday, 29 January 2025, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
  • Wednesday, 12 February 2025, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
  • Wednesday, 19 February 2025, 4:30pm to 6:30pm
  • Wednesday, 26 February 2025, 5pm to 8pm

Book your place


Read our privacy notice to understand how UCL Innovation & Enterprise will deal with your personal data.

UCL Innovation & Enterprise reserves the right to make changes to the programme, location and/or speakers without prior notice. Such alterations are occasionally necessary due to circumstances beyond our control.


Location

UCL BaseKX, 103c Camley Street, London, N1C 4PF