The Studio is the graduate programme of LU Inc, the University's business incubator, located on campus at LUSEP, which brings together graduate and academic entrepreneurs with founders from across the region and beyond to create a rich and supportive start-up community.
Part of the Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN), the Studio is designed to give graduates the best possible environment to launch their business and watch it fly.
Studio members benefit from:
- Workspace – up to £4,000 worth FREE workspace at LU Inc
- Funding – chance to access up to £7,500 through the Start-Up Fund
- Training – bespoke training programme and community events
- Coaching and mentoring – one to one support from founders and experts
- Connections – introductions to business leaders, experts and investors
- Marketing – profile-raising through University communication channels
- Exclusive offers – from partners, such as Amazon Web Services, SolidWorks and more
The Studio’s support is free – no fees, no equity, no charges. Applying is easy. Finalists and graduates are encouraged to email whatever they have which explains their idea (this could include slides, website, financials – anything to start the conversation).
Applications close at midnight on 8 August 2021. They will be reviewed as soon as they are submitted, for a swift response.
Louise Lennon, workplace fairness coach and founder of The People Deal, who graduated with an MSc in Business Psychology after almost 20 years in HR, joined The Studio in 2019 and has already grown the business to a team of five, earning recognition as a Top 50 Contributor at the CIPD Hackathon and an Innovation in Education and Training finalist in the LeicestershireLive Awards in September.
She said: “When you start your own business, you don’t have the broad range of skills that you need, and when you’re working from home, it’s easy to lose focus.
“Being in the right workspace helps you to stay positive and on track, there’s so much help and experience when you get stuck, and spending time with other people that are experiencing the same journey as you provides much-needed support and encouragement to keep going.”
Further details on how to apply online are available on the Studio website.