START UP Events and Workshops
Connect and establish skills to help you start or grow a business or self-employed career
START UP x IoCT drop-in
Ready to explore how you could fast-track your ideas with support from IoCT?
Drop in and meet Sam and Holly from IoCT to explore no‑cost and subsidised support including prototyping, market scoping, usability testing, human‑experience design, and access to advanced R&D facilities.
Sam is a Senior Innovation Consultant specialising in multidisciplinary, design‑led innovation, with experience spanning process automation, systems design, and SME collaboration. Holly is an Innovation Consultant who blends psychology and design‑led innovation, with project experience at LNER and Northumbrian Water Group.
Whether you’re testing an early idea or looking ahead, this drop‑in opens the door to IoCT expertise and the connections that can accelerate your journey.
- Wednesday 6 May 1:30-3:00pm
- START UP Space, King's Gate
START UP x Arrow drop-in
Ready to transform early ideas into real‑world innovations? Drop in and meet Justin Souter, Senior Innovation Associate on Arrow — a programme that helps North East businesses access world‑class research, expertise, and facilities from four regional universities.
Arrow supports founders and innovators to solve technical challenges, explore new ideas, and accelerate commercialisation. Justin has worked with 500+ founders, coached startups who went on to raise millions, and delivered some of the region’s most impactful business support programmes.
Whether you’re shaping your first idea or planning your next move, this drop‑in gives you direct access to Arrow’s innovation support and the chance to build the connections that help ideas take off.
- Thursday 7 May 10:00-11:30
- START UP space, King's Gate
START UP x IoCT drop-in
Ready to explore how you could fast-track your ideas with support from IoCT?
Drop in and meet Sam and Anna from IoCT to explore no‑cost and subsidised support including prototyping, market scoping, usability testing, human‑experience design, and access to advanced R&D facilities.
Sam is a Senior Innovation Consultant specialising in multidisciplinary, design‑led innovation, with experience spanning process automation, systems design, and SME collaboration. Anna is an Innovation Consultant for the IoCT programme with a background in politics, sociology, and accessibility-focused research.
Whether you’re testing an early idea or looking ahead, this drop‑in opens the door to IoCT expertise and the connections that can accelerate your journey.
- Thursday 25 June1:30-3:00pm
- START UP Space, King's Gate
All our events and workshops are delivered by experienced industry professionals and advisers. They are open to students and graduates for up to two years. We also welcome colleagues to attend.
Students and graduates can register for events and workshops through MyCareer. Colleagues can email us to reserve a space.
To view all of our upcoming events, click the button below and select the 'Work For Yourself' and 'START UP Workshops' event types.