Support for start-ups and entrepreneurs

The Enterprise Programme provides a full advisory service covering all aspects of idea development, business creation and growth. Staff, students, and qualifying alumni with an idea, new business venture or desire to explore research commercialisation, can contact our team to make an appointment. To book, simply email us at enterprise@stir.ac.uk.

The Entrepreneurial Quest is the University's annual student ideas competition. Taking part in the “Quest” is easy! Simply film and submit a three-minute video pitch clearly explaining the essential components of your business idea. You’ll gain constructive feedback from an expert judging panel and compete for funding and a year of residence in the University incubator, The Hive!

Note: Please ensure that you register to attend the mandatory online Competition Information Session on Thursday 23rd February prior to registering for The Quest.

SEED (Student Enterprise Enhanced Development) is a pre-accelerator bootcamp offering intense entrepreneurial training and support to a small cohort of eligible aspiring founders over a six-week period. Are you passionate about developing your business idea? Have you been attending our open Develop Stream workshops, met with the team's Business Advisor, and believe you have a viable business model? Then SEED could be just what you need to accelerate the development of your venture!
Running in late spring 2023, SEED consists of weekly one-to-one business mentorship, bespoke training sessions, peer-to-peer learning, and access to professional advice and grant funding.

Online applications for the 2023 SEED cohort will open on 30 March 2023, and close on 20 April 2023. The programme will run from 10 May - 17 June 2023 with activities taking place both in-person on campus and online via MS Teams. Successful applicants should be available for approximately three hours each week over the programme's duration. Please note that the programme is open to applications from individuals and teams with any type of business venture which will be based within Scotland (this includes social, community, and creative enterprises in addition to for-profit business models).

For full details about the SEED 2023 programme and eligibility criteria, please email enterprise@stir.ac.uk for an informal conversation.

The Start-up visa scheme is designed to support early-stage and high-potential entrepreneurs to start a business in the UK for the first time. The University of Stirling is an endorsing body and will accept applications for this scheme from University of Stirling graduates.

Students aiming to move onto this visa following completion of their studies must evidence a minimum engagement threshold of three unique instances of participation with our Enterprise Programme (e.g., attendance at workshops, meetings with the Business Advisor, participation in a pre-accelerator scheme, etc) during the six months prior to an application being developed.

Endorsement Panels are normally held in September and December each year.

To find out more information about the endorsement process, or to register your interest, please email enterprise@stir.ac.uk.

Visa-specific enquiries should be sent to internationaladvisor@stir.ac.uk.