How students become entrepreneurs at Kingston University London

Helping students develop enterprising skills and turn ideas into start-ups while still studying, is just one part of Kingston University’s entrepreneurship support.

Whether you are curious about entrepreneurship, want to test a business idea, or simply want to develop valuable future skills, the programme provides opportunities for students and graduates at every stage.

How does the entrepreneurship journey at Kingston work?

Through a range of competitions, workshops, founder programmes and more, students can test ideas with real customers, access mentorship, funding, and incubation support.

Some of the key opportunities include the following.

Masterclasses

• Regular expert-led sessions where students learn practical start-up and freelance skills such as validating ideas, marketing, branding, and pitching.

Bright Ideas Competition

• The University’s flagship ideas competition where students pitch solutions to real-world problems. In 2025 alone, more than 1,100 students participated and £9,700 in prize money was awarded.

Ideas Accelerator

• A one-day bootcamp that introduces students to tools like the Lean Canvas and the fundamentals of validating an idea.

Launch Lab

• An intensive programme helping aspiring founders build the mindset and core foundations needed to start a business.

Fast Track Programme

• A ten-week programme where founders test their ideas with real customers and develop a viable business model.

The Nest

• The Nest is Kingston University’s founder development community, supporting promising student and graduate entrepreneurs as they develop their ideas and build early-stage ventures. Members gain access to workspace, mentoring, peer support, and opportunities to strengthen the skills, confidence, and networks needed to grow their businesses.

Enterprise Circle Fund

• Enterprise Circle is an alumni-supported initiative that provides seed funding, mentorship, and connections to help standout ventures emerging from The Nest take their next steps. Together, these opportunities form part of Kingston’s founder journey, helping students move from early curiosity and idea exploration towards building and growing real ventures.

Why should students get involved?

Entrepreneurship at university is not just about starting a business. It is also about developing the mindset and skills that employers value most. Many students also use these opportunities to develop skills that support freelancing, contracting, or self-employment alongside their studies or after graduation.

Through Kingston’s entrepreneurship support and activities, students develop:

• Creative problem-solving skills
• Confidence in presenting and pitching ideas
• Teamwork and leadership experience
• Professional networks and industry connections
• Practical experience turning ideas into real solutions

Who can get involved?

One of the most important things about entrepreneurship at Kingston is that it is open to everyone.

You do not need to be studying business, and you do not need a fully formed business idea to get started.

Opportunities are open to:

• Students from all courses and faculties
• Undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Kingston graduates
• Students interested in freelancing or self-employment
• Anyone curious about entrepreneurship

Many students begin by attending a masterclass or entering the Bright Ideas competition with classmates or as individuals. Others go on to develop their ideas further through opportunities such as Fast Track or The Nest.

Student success stories

Kingston’s entrepreneurial community has helped launch a wide range of successful ventures across different industries, including:

• Christian Facey (Audiomob) developed his early ideas through Kingston’s enterprise support and later built a company now valued at over £100 million, pioneering in-game audio advertising technology.  
• Neomi Bennett (Neo-Slip), a nursing graduate, created a device to help patients apply compression stockings more easily. Her innovation came from spotting a real healthcare problem during her studies and she was later awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to nursing and healthcare.
• Joshua Eyitayo (Thrifty Towel) built a sustainable vintage fashion brand that has hosted pop-ups in Selfridges and Fenwick Kingston, working with retailers to support sustainability goals.

These examples show that Kingston founders emerge from every discipline, ranging from healthcare and engineering to fashion and gaming and more.

Curious about entrepreneurship?

If you are interested in exploring entrepreneurship while studying at Kingston, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

From workshops and competitions to founder support, mentoring, and funding opportunities, the University offers practical ways to help you develop skills, test ideas, and build your network.

Whether you have a business idea, want to explore freelancing, or simply want to build future-ready skills, the Student Enterprise and Innovation team can help you take the next step.

Get in touch today to find out how you can get involved

You might be surprised how quickly you can develop the skills, confidence, and networks to turn your ideas into something real.

Email us at [email protected] to turn your ideas into reality.