Starting your own business

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! Check out what‘s coming up:

• 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 for the Entrepreneurship 

Our fun filled and action-packed weekenders are a great way to focus on your business. 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 up while working with other students and graduates who share your interest in becoming future business owners. Book your place through CareerHub.

Essex Startups offer various ways to develop your business ideas and entrepreneurial skills, including competitions to win cash prizes.

From the Big Pitch to Dragons Den, and our £100 Challenges, we host funding opportunities throughout the year to help aid your start-up. Keep an eye on our LinkedIn and Instagram for investment announcements.  

The Start-up visa route was closed by the UK government on the 13 July 2023. This means that the university can no longer endorse applicants under this route.

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.

Before starting a business

• UK government advice for setting up a business
• Side business ideas you can start while working full-time
• Business ideas you can start today
• DIY innovation toolkit

General guides and checklists

• Tips for small businesses and start-ups
• Starting your own business
• One page Business Canvas for your business plan
• Guide to SWOT analysis
• How to write a business plan
• Small business disaster recovery plan

Companies House and HMRC

• HMRC webinars for businesses and self-employed and a guide to starting your own business
• Register a company or as self-employed at Companies House