Durham University - turning student ideas into new North East businesses

Student entrepreneurs at Durham University are able to access wraparound support to help develop ideas in a state-of-the-art new facility that will help build a network of new businesses in the North East.

Managed by the university's Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre, the Hazan Venture Lab will provide students with access to targeted business advice sessions, workshops, networking events and startup pitching events to support student and graduate enterprise.

The Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre will also use the Hazan Venture Lab to deliver its new £240,000 Durham Venture School programme, a flagship start-up creator programme that is the first of its kind in the Higher Education sector. The Durham Venture School scheme was launched in 2021. It provides Durham University graduates with opportunities to explore problems facing industry and society, giving them the tools, resources and connections to generate new ideas and launch ventures with the potential to achieve significant impact. This year’s cohort is 26-strong.

Over a six-month period, participants work together in teams to develop new solutions to global problems, engage with world-leading companies and can pitch for £10,000 in seed funding to support new ventures. Participation in the scheme is supported by stipends to help cover living costs.

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