Being a student and a founder has meant making sacrifices along the way, it’s a big time commitment, but it’s shaped my whole experience of university. I think sometimes people think that they can’t have both, but entrepreneurship can be lonely and isolating at times, with many obstacles to overcome.
However, by coming to Loughborough University, I’ve been able to tap into an amazing well of community support and the invaluable shared experiences of other entrepreneurs through the business incubator LUInc. and the Loughborough Enterprise Network (LEN).
As I was already developing my business from second year, I have primarily benefited from the support provided by LUInc, which helped me navigate the challenges of leading a start-up. However, I know the University and Business School offers great support to students wanting to set up a business through programmes like LEN and the Year in Enterprise option. I participated in the £5000 pitch competition for the Santander through LEN, winning £2500. This enabled myself and my co-founder, Tyler McCarthy, to attend the WEB Summit in Lisbon, where we could showcase BidScript to key investors and industry representatives.
The LUInc network played a significant role in developing my professional network, providing connections with alumni, investors, and university partners. These relationships gave us financing opportunities and valuable advice from people who had seen and overcome the challenges that face entrepreneurs.