Six Things Loughborough University’s commercialisation hub, The Studio, gives its Graduate Businesses

Have you got your own business? Have you recently started-up while at University and now you’re wondering what to do next? Or maybe you started a while back and are now ready to take the plunge and really grow your business following graduation?

If this sounds like you, and you have graduated from Loughborough University in the last five years, then applying for a place at our commercialisation hub, The Studio, right here on campus could be the ideal next step for both you and your business.

But, what does The Studio provide its graduates with? In this post, we’ll talk you through six key things that our past and current members of the commercialisation space consider to have been the most valuable to them.

1. Access to unique facilities at Loughborough University

First and foremost, for many of the graduate businesses based here at Loughborough University, having their own space to work on their business is vital to their progression from idea through to development and implementation.

Being a part of The Studio, each cohort gets exclusive access to our commercialisation space based in the Holywell Building here on campus. The unique space provides them with a physical office base for work, plus room to hold meetings, network and informally get to know their peers during their downtime, too!

And, if that wasn’t enough, each member can also request access to some of key facilities here on campus (e.g. specialist laboratories and equipment for testing or our six Creative Hubs) for business purposes!

1. 2.    Access to expert guest speakers from industry

Dr Rose Deakin, founder of social enterprise, The Crop Club, comments on how valuable this training was. She explains: ‘I found the training throughout my time at The Studio incredibly valuable because we were able to access renowned experts (from a number of fields) and these were people that I couldn’t afford to book on my own while starting-up my business. The best part about the training is that it doesn’t have to stop when you finish your time at The Studio – as a past member, you are still invited to key events and workshops to continue building your knowledge and really ensure that both you and your business fly!’

1. Ongoing and Intensive Business Training

Throughout your time at The Studio, you get the chance to take part in a range of key events and business training days (and weeks!) to increase your knowledge and prepare you for everything you need to know about running your business.

These include: An intensive training week – ‘Everything you did not know and more’ with business mentor, Megan Powell Vreeswijk; ‘Understanding Finance’ sessions with Sally Dale (ioda); ‘SEO, customer journeys and keyword content’ with Emma Rudeck (Deeply Digital), ‘How to Write a Press Release’ with Janet Murray, and the chance to take part in our important events, ‘Challenge X’ and ‘Funding your Business’.

1. 4.    You don’t have to go it alone!

For Founder of Tale Production and current Studio member, Alex Lees, one of the main things that he finds really useful is the value of being around like-minded individuals all going through the same ups and downs as he is.

He said: ‘At the beginning of my journey, I almost took the business in a direction that didn’t suit my skills, but being able to sit down and talk this through with everyone in a roundtable discussion at The Studio made me realise what my (and the business’s) true values really were. As a result, the business is doing fantastically well and I’m certain I wouldn’t have been able to say that if I had taken the alternate route or had to go it alone!’

1. A shoulder to cry on and one-to-one sessions

As with any type of challenge (and starting-up or developing your own business brings with it its own challenges!), there may come a time when things don’t quite go to plan. Loughborough University’s commercialisation Studio is there for when the going does (inevitably) get a little tough. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to in order to help you solve that niggling problem, The Studio and Megan (as your primary contact) are always on hand to help and support you.

1. 6.     Peer-to-peer support and feedback

For all 50 of the graduate businesses that have been through The Studio’s programme of support here at Loughborough University so far, one of the best and most valuable parts of the journey has been having a co-working space and becoming part of a really special community while working within it.

The Crop Club’s Rose added: ‘We were able to support each other’s businesses and, because we were all from a variety of industries (social, creative, technology), we were able to use one another’s services for our own start-ups, too – that was really great.’

If this sounds like exactly the kind of support you and your business need and you would like to know more, please visit The Studio website  for details on how to apply.