What we do

Leicester Startups is a community for existing & aspiring entrepreneurs. We organise and promote mentoring, talks, advice, collaboration and workspace offerings with a “give first” ethos. Find out more…

We’re able to do this thanks to the very generous startup community and partner organisations. For 2023, we’re being sponsored by The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity, which provides interest-free loans for new startup founders and existing businesses needing investment. Find out more about these and our other partners below…

Our Partners
Latest News
Rutland entrepreneur’s business book to be published in 2025
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Leicester founder features on podcast discussing building products
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New community for people interested in Ai launches in Leicester
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Upcoming Events
November 5, 2024
calendar_today Nov 05, 2024 | 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Tue
05

Expert panellists from Nelsons, Mattioli Woods, ER Recruitment, Barclays, East Midlands Chamber and De Montfort University will be discussing topical issues surrounding the question of 'what keeps business owners awake at night'.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/whats-keeping-you-up-at-night/details

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calendar_today Nov 05, 2024 | 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tue
05

This workshop is all about business growth! This 3-hour session will be a great opportunity to reflect upon and review what you are currently doing, what does and doesn’t work, collaborate and learn from your peers in the room about tools, techniques and suggestions to support future growth in an efficient and profitable way.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/lets-focus-on-growth/details

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calendar_today Nov 05, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
Tue
05


Be part of the DMU Made audience on campus as a series of guest speakers and Q&A's take place, all on the topic of entrepreneurship. Previous speakers have included Kwoklyn Wan and BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat Journalist Calum Leslie. Expect some very special guest speakers, alongside students, graduates and Academics. Entrepreneurship Day is in partnership with The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity.



https://lbf.ticketleap.com/entrepreneurship-day/dates/Nov-05-2024_at_1100AM

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calendar_today Nov 05, 2024 | 1:45 pm - 4:45 pm
Tue
05

A unique opportunity for the Leicester business community to enjoy DMU's annual awards ceremony, held in collaboration with The Sir Thomas White Loan Charity. This informal event recognises the very best student and graduate entrepreneurs and showcases some of the flagship initiatives led by the university's extracurricular entrepreneurship team.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/dmu-made-entrepreneurship-awards/

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November 6, 2024
calendar_today Nov 06, 2024 | 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Wed
06

Explore how your business can benefit from working with local universities—be it through placements/ internships, graduate employment, consultancy, CPD programmes or collaborative research such as Innovate-UK grant-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs)

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/brewing-innovative-ideas-roadshow-rutland/details

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November 7, 2024
calendar_today Nov 07, 2024 | 8:30 am - 10:30 am
Thu
07

The event is for everyone, offering insights into AI technology and how it can be practically applied to improve business operations. Attendees will learn best practices, explore real-world AI use cases, and gain practical skills for driving growth in their businesses. Ignite AI Partners are delighted to bring you this event in partnership with Institute of Directors, providing valuable insights for members and non-members on the business value of Artificial Intelligence.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/leveraging-ai-a-how-to/details

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calendar_today Nov 07, 2024 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Thu
07

In the format of 'Question Time', we'll have a panel of people comprised of business experts and new business start ups - all familiar with starting new businesses or helping those to do so. Our Fiona Bruce will be Lucy Womack, our chair. She will initially introduce and then ask questions of the panel and then field questions from the audience.



https://lbf.ticketleap.com/omg-im-starting-a-business-but-dont-know-where-to-begin/details

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The event will be a seminar/workshop style event which will cover over how to identify and utilise the right marketing channels for the attendees business. This will be split into sub-topics such as how to identify what mediums your clients respond well to, what messaging they will resonate with & how to go about identifying marketing opportunities for your industry.



https://lbf.ticketleap.com/reaching-your-customers---identifying-the-right-marketing-chann/details

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calendar_today Nov 07, 2024 | 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Thu
07

DMU's flagship startup networking event 'Connect' is back for its 9th year! This informal networking event brings together De Montfort University students, graduates, staff and the local business community

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/connect-at-the-castle-inn/dates/Nov-07-2024_at_0530PM

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November 12, 2024
calendar_today Nov 12, 2024 | 11:00 am - 1:30 pm
Tue
12

Join this ChatGPT webinar to explore the latest developments in AI driven technology! Learn how ChatGPT can enhance productivity, streamline processes and improve customer interactions. Whether you're a business owner, content creator or developer, this webinar offers valuable insights and practical examples to help businesses get the most from ChatGPT.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/understanding-chatgpt/details

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November 13, 2024
calendar_today Nov 13, 2024 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Wed
13

This event, held at De Montfort University’s cutting-edge Trading Floor in partnership with Leicestershire Business Voice, is tailored for businesses seeking growth and new opportunities. Throughout the afternoon, we'll explore a variety of growth pathways, including innovative funding models like the Government’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), Innovate UK’s grant-funded partnerships that connect businesses with academic expertise, and strategies for effective business exits when the time is right.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/your-business-growth-scale-and-exit/details


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calendar_today Nov 13, 2024 | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Wed
13

The How I Failed in Business Podcast is a fast growing, Leicestershire based podcast in which your hosts, Sophia Grace, and Rob Spence, take a look at business failings, mistakes, mishaps and blunders with a comedic eye.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/the-how-i-failed-in-business-podcast-live/details

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November 14, 2024
calendar_today Nov 14, 2024 | 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Thu
14

The opportunity to network with other business leaders and hear from our experts on how to leverage tax incentives for business growth.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/innovation-and-capital-incentives-breakfast-event/details

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calendar_today Nov 14, 2024 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Thu
14

This dynamic session will explore the powerful opportunities offered by the Barclays Demo Directory, an essential platform for businesses eager to showcase their innovations and connect with key investors and partners. The platform provides a unique space for start-ups and scale-ups to demonstrate their products and services, gain exposure to a wider audience, and receive valuable feedback from industry experts.

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/pitch-perfect-mastering-business-pitches-with-barclays-demo-dir/details

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calendar_today Nov 14, 2024 | 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Thu
14

Join us for the biggest and wildest event of the LBF, celebrating a decade of the Leicester Business Festival!! We have music (provided by HQ Familia), free drinks, canapes and importantly, one of the biggest networking opportunities in the LBF!

https://lbf.ticketleap.com/closing-celebrations/details

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November 20, 2024
calendar_today Nov 20, 2024 | 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Wed
20

The University of Leicester invite you to attend an upcoming Café Enterprise event which is aimed at supporting students and graduates to explore entrepreneurial skills and ideas. Covering a theme, a panel of speakers will spark discussions with the event ending with networking and refreshments.


https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=as2-rtQxAUuVzoJ0r-hT2fh-j6Ne9D5Ftuo3pkY6K0JUM05GRDRDSlU5WUdMSzVZMUc3WERFSTg4WS4u&route=shorturl

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November 27, 2024
calendar_today Nov 27, 2024 | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wed
27

Discover how groundbreaking research from Leicestershire’s leading three universities is being transformed into real-world business opportunities at VentureVersity’s Demo Day.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ventureversity-demo-day-tickets-1029993025867?aff=oddtdtcreator

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December 11, 2024
calendar_today Dec 11, 2024 | 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Wed
11

Reserve your space at our first ever 'in-person' Demo Day, which concludes the 7th Leicester Startups Accelerator!

We've supported 10 local startups through a high-tempo programme of mentorship, networking and peer-support, and this is your opportunity to hear about their businesses and watch them pitch to a panel of expert investors.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/leicester-startups-accelerator-demo-day-tickets-1030910510087?aff=oddtdtcreator

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January 22, 2025
calendar_today Jan 22, 2025 | 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Wed
22

The University of Leicester invite you to attend an upcoming Café Enterprise event which is aimed at supporting students and graduates to explore entrepreneurial skills and ideas. Covering a theme, a panel of speakers will spark discussions with the event ending with networking and refreshments.


https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=as2-rtQxAUuVzoJ0r-hT2fh-j6Ne9D5Ftuo3pkY6K0JUM05GRDRDSlU5WUdMSzVZMUc3WERFSTg4WS4u&route=shorturl

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March 4, 2025
calendar_today Mar 04, 2025 | 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Tue
04

The University of Leicester invite you to attend an upcoming Café Enterprise event which is aimed at supporting students and graduates to explore entrepreneurial skills and ideas. Covering a theme, a panel of speakers will spark discussions with the event ending with networking and refreshments.


https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=as2-rtQxAUuVzoJ0r-hT2fh-j6Ne9D5Ftuo3pkY6K0JUM05GRDRDSlU5WUdMSzVZMUc3WERFSTg4WS4u&route=shorturl

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