FOI_25-241 Enterprise and start-up support for students
Date of response: 27 August 2025
We have now considered your request of 14 August 2025 for the following information:
This data request is in relation to student enterprise support and side hustle activity at your university:
Question 1. Does your university currently have a dedicated enterprise/startup support team or department? (Yes/No)
Our response:
Yes.
Question 2. If you do have a dedicated enterprise/startup support team, how many students accessed enterprise/startup support services at your university in the academic year 2023/24? What about 2024/present date in 2025?
Our response:
2023-24:
302 Appointments
181 Events
483 Total
2024-25:
281 Appointments
69 Events
350 Total
Question 3. Does your university offer any of the following support programmes for student entrepreneurs? Please tick all that apply and name them where possible:
•
Startup accelerator
•
Enterprise grant scheme or startup funding
•
One-to-one mentoring or coaching
•
Networking events or pitch competitions
•
Access to co-working/incubation space
•
Business plan training or workshops
Our response:
All of the above.
Question 4. Does your university track how many students run a side business or freelance operation alongside their studies?
Our response:
No.
If yes, how many students were recorded doing so in the last academic year (2023/24)?
What about in the present academic year 2024 until present day (2025)?
Our response:
Not applicable.
Question 5. Does your university collect any data on what percentage of student entrepreneurs continue running their business after graduation? If yes, please share any figures available from the past three years (related to their businesses, any dissolutions and turnover if you’ve got the data)
Our response:
Yes.
2023-24
6 new start ups
67 trading after 3 years
Estimated turnover £407,000
2022-23
7 new Start ups
53 trading after 3 years
Estimated turnover £3,207,678
2021-22
4 new start ups
49 trading after 3 years
Estimated turnover £1,177,000
Question 6. Are there any additional initiatives or case studies you'd like to share that support student entrepreneurs at your institution?
Our response:
No.