What support can I get?

Beepurple runs events and competitions throughout the academic year, designed to equip you with key skills that will improve your employability and help you grow a successful business.

Additionally, one-to-one meetings provide a sounding board for your ideas and help you to develop your plans.

Got a question? Get in touch.

Entrepreneurship workshops

Specialist workshops run across the academic year, covering topics like marketing, sales, networking, intellectual property, creativity, pitching, strategy, funding and more.

We guarantee you will develop your enterprise skills and entrepreneurial thinking when you attend a beepurple workshop.

You will meet a range of like-minded people and have the opportunity to talk to recent graduates who have taken the leap and set up businesses or charities since leaving university. Established local entrepreneurs and recent graduates who’ve setup their own ventures also come in to share their advice and business experiences (both good and bad!).

You can attend as many or as few sessions as you like, and all workshops are free to students, graduates and staff. Make sure you book early as spaces are limited.

See our events calendar for upcoming workshops

One-to-one business support

Not sure if your idea has any legs? Need some input to help take your business to the next stage? Wherever you're at with your business or idea, the beepurple team is happy to meet you on a one-to-one basis and offer guidance.

We can meet you in-person at any university campus, or at a venue off-site. Alternatively we can offer support by telephone or Skype.

Please email us to book a one-to-one meeting.

Santander University of Brighton Ideas competition

Our annual Ideas Competition seeks out and reward the best entrepreneurial ideas. There are prizes of up to £2000 and a package of business support including mentoring from established entrepreneurs, for the winners.

UltraViolet Intensive Summer Course

UltraViolet is an intensive five day start-up summer course which runs immediately after the end of the summer term each year.

By the end of the week, you will have developed the following skills:

  • Business ideas development and creative thinking
  • Opportunity seeking and analysis
  • Negotiation and selling
  • communication and networking
  • Marketing
  • Financial planning
  • Business planning
  • Leadership


You will also learn about the legalities of starting up a business and how to protect your intellectual property, have the chance to meet local entrepreneurs, and learn from their successes and experiences of setting up and running a business.

The course will be full of practical challenges to put your skills to the test and include a Charity Challenge, where you will be fundraising for a local charity, and you will also have the chance to enter an elevator pitch competition to win £200!

Ultraviolet is designed for all students and graduates who would like to develop their own business ideas and gain some essential enterprise skills relevant for self-employment or employment.

Please note this course is for students and graduates of the University of Brighton. We can, on occasion, accept applications from outside the university, however student and graduate bookings will always be prioritised.

Other sources of business support

Outside of the university there are other organisations that can help with one-to-one advice, funding, networking and work space.

Advice and networking

Entrepreneurial Spark
The University of Brighton and Entrepreneurial Spark have teamed up to offer current students and recent graduates free business premises and mentoring for between 6 to 18 months. Situated in the beautiful Preston Park area of the city, it's a fantastic opportunity to grow your business, alongside other fledgling entrepreneurs.

Chambers of Commerce

A vital network run for and by local businesses. They run networking events and training workshops with the aim of connecting local businesses and helping you to succeed.

One-to-one support

  • C2C Business
    Free and impartial local advice and support service.
  • Edeal
    A not-for-profit enterprise agency providing confidential and impartial business advice.
  • Let's Do Business
    A social enterprise helping businesses to start-up and grow throughout the South East of England.

Others

  • The DIAL Project
    Benefit from regular group discussion of your business challenges, and support fellow entrepreneurs.
  • Federation of Small Business
    Provides legal advice, insurance protection and help with financial questions.
  • Prowess
    Women-friendly business support, networking opportunities and more.
  • UnLtd
    National support network for social enterprise.
  • Wired Sussex
    Business development agency for over 1,200 digital and new media companies and freelancers across Sussex and the South East.

Funding

  • Grants
    The UK government’s grant finder tool enables you to search for funding according to various criteria.
  • Start Up Loans
    The government-backed provider of loans between £500 and £25,000. No application fee and 6% interest.
  • The Prince’s Trust
    Provides money and support to help people aged 18-30 start up in business.
  • Shell Livewire
    £5,000 is given out every month to start-ups that are addressing energy and resource challenges. Also includes a fund-finder tool.

Equity crowdfunding

An increasingly popular way to fund high growth businesses. Platforms include:

Indiegogo

Work space

Brighton and Hove

  • Entrepreneurial Spark
    The University of Brighton and Entrepreneurial Spark have teamed up to offer free business premises and mentoring for 6 - 18 months.
  • Platf9rm
    Creative and business desk, meeting and work spaces in Brighton and Hove.
  • The Skiff
    Office space and co-working opportunities. A range of tariffs available.

Eastbourne

  • Cohoba
    Hotdesk and dedicated desk spaces available.

Hastings

  • Seachange Sussex
    Not-for-profit organisation offering business premises on flexible terms.

Newhaven

  • Enterprise Works
    Offers rent-free factory space, with free use of facilities. There is no cost for space occupied, but businesses share in the running costs of the unit and are committed to growth.
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