Business Basics
The basics of business. . . in this section you’ll find valuable information and links to topics such as intellectual property, business models, legal structures, how to pitch, and where to find funding. These are the essential resources for building a business.
Check out our top picks, then use the filters below to further customise your search.
Fundamentals of Starting a UK Business
Government Advice and information for starting a business in the UK.
First Questions to Ask - Part 1
Dr Stuart Wilkinson gives advice on the questions to ask when you have that big idea.
How to Start a Startup
Sam Altman from Y Combinator leads this exciting online class from Stanford.
Understanding Intellectual Property (IP)
An Oxford guide to IP and where to find information and support
Startup Tips
Oxford students and alumni talk about their top tips for starting a business
Enterprising Oxfordshire
Our handy map shows you how to navigate the Oxford entrepreneurship ecosystem.
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“We are all going to change the world: it’s just where and how?”
Food for thoughts: measuring the impact of our lives.
10 Rules for a Great Start Up Idea
If you are looking for startup validation, check out this great infographic from Founder Institute (designed by Andrea Chen).
10 Ways Entrepreneurs Think Differently
How often have you thought to yourself, “I wish I had my own business”? Many people dream about how good it would be, ...
10 Ways to Scale a Business from Startup to a Huge Company
It’s one thing to start a business and another to scale it.
Agile Lab – Begbroke Science Park
A shared workspace comprising an equipped laboratory with bookable bench space and equipment, and adjoining office space.
Alasdair Harris, Founder of Blue Ventures
Alasdair Harris is the founder of Blue Ventures, an award winning marine conservation charity and social enterprise.
Alex Barnes, Co-founder of Lanterne
Alex is the co-founder of Lanterne, an online platform showing the safest routes in conflict zones.
Alex McCallion, co-founder of Greater Change
Alex McCallion is Co-founder of Greater Change, helping to provide a way of giving to the homeless.
Alexander Koelbl, founder of HEADING ON
Alex is the Founder of HEADING ON, described like a "Fitbit® for your car".
Alexandra Littaye, founder of Azure
Alexandra Littaye is the Founder of Azure, the first distributor of a Mexican superfood made of blue corn called 'pinole'.
Are You Ready to Start a Business?
So you've been thinking about starting a venture recently, but how do you know if you actually are ready?
Aspect
A network of organisations to support innovation, entrepreneurship and research commercialisation in social sciences.
Bhavini Patel, co-founder of Beam Data
Bhavini Patel is the co-founder of BeamData, a civic tech venture that improves the data capacity of social enterprises and local government.
Brookes Enterprise
Enterprise Support offers exceptional opportunities for students, staff and recent graduates.
Building a Business
Providing basic business skills to those who would like to develop/enhance their skills.
Bunmi Ayeh, co-founder of The Loop
Bunmi Ayeh is a University of Oxford alumna, and fashion entrepreneur.
Business Fundamentals: Customer Engagement
Learn how to design business and marketing activities to engage customers through relationships instead of one-off sales.
Business in Oxford
Business in Oxford has been designed to provide a detailed programme of informative presentations combined with networking opportunities.
Business in Oxford Annual Conference 2018
BIO 2018: The biggest business-networking and showcase event in Oxfordshire was held on 23 May 2018.
Business Plans and Other Important Documents
10 sections that could be included in your business plan.
Cedric Maforimbo, Founder of Weed2Pesticide
Cedric is the Founder and Lead of Weed2Pesticide, a University of Oxford social enterprise working towards building a rural ...
Charley Darbishire – CEO and Founder of Educake
Charley is the Founder and Managing Director of Educake, an online homework and revision application for secondary school science.
Christer Holloman, CEO and co-founder of Divido
Christer Holloman is the CEO and Co-founder of Divido, a startup that lets consumers spread the cost of any purchase over a period.
Christoph Birkl, co-founder and CEO of Brill Power
Christoph is Co-founder and CEO of Brill Power, developing game-changing battery control technology.
Code Academy: Online Coding Courses (MOOC)
Teaching the world how to code. Learn to code interactively, for free.
Coursera: Online Entrepreneurship Courses (MOOC)
Online, free courses taught by top instructors from world-class universities and companies. So you can learn anywhere, anytime.
Creating Business Start-Ups The Kawasaki Way
Learn how to start-up a business with advice from Guy Kawasaki.
Creative Industries Federation
Membership body that represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries.
Creative Thinking: Techniques and Tools for Success
Learn how to apply tools to better solve problems, generate ideas, and excel in your chosen career.
Culham Science Centre
Creating a powerhouse of high technology innovation and enterprise in South Oxfordshire.
Developing your Creative Practice
A development fund designed to support independent creative practitioners.
Digital Skills: Digital Marketing
Empowered by Accenture, this course will teach you some of the different digital marketing strategies and techniques.
Dr Colin Story – Co-founder and CEO of OxSonics
Dr Colin Story is the Co-founder and CEO of OxSonics, an Oxford University spinout company developing a new generation of ultrasound devices.
Dr llana Wisby, CEO of Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC)
Ilana Wisby is the CEO of Oxford Quantum Circuits, an early stage Oxford University spin-out company founded by Dr Peter Leek.
Dr Michalis Papadakis, CEO and Cofounder of Brainomix
Dr Michalis Papadakis is the CEO and Cofounder of Brainomix, which automates the assessment of stroke damage on CT scans.
Dr Samantha Decombel – CSO and Cofounder of FitnessGenes
Dr Samantha Decombel is the Co-Founder and CSO of FitnessGenes Limited.
EIT Health Summer School
The EIT Health Summer Schools support innovation by empowering the healthcare leaders and innovators of tomorrow.
Emerge Education
We invest in pre-seed and seed rounds in European and North American companies focused on education.
Entrepreneurship in the Creative Industries
Exploring the relationship between entrepreneurship and creativity.
Entrepreneurship.org
An online resource from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to help entrepreneurs grow great ideas.
eScalate Social Enterprise Support
Supporting social entrepreneurs, enterprising charities and other purposeful businesses in Oxfordshire.
Ethical Property
Office area set up specifically to support small, start up charities, social enterprises & local businesses.
Exploring the startup scene: Joining a spinout
Trying to understand spin outs and start ups from inside.
Fundamentals of Starting a Business in the UK
Six different steps listed to starting a business in the UK.
Georgina Atwell, Founder of Toppsta
Georgina Atwell is the Founder Toppsta, a children’s books website.
Get Interactive: Practical Teaching with Technology
This is a very practical course that will teach you how to create interactive online courses.
Global Challenges Research Fund
A £1.5 billion fund announced by the UK Government to support research addressed to developing countries.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
An investment to help entrepreneurs create opportunities for education, capital and business support services.
Hannah Pye, Founder of Hello Hann Photography
Hannah is an Oxford-based freelance photographer & designer with a passion for social enterprise and sustainable business.
Hexagon Business Centres
A unique business hub in central Witney providing serviced offices, meeting rooms, virtual office services and business support to ...
How a Degree Can Help You Run Your Startup
Interview to three Oxford alumni, now proud entrepreneurs.
How Entrepreneurs and Academics Are the Same
What's the difference between an academic and an entrepreneur?
How is Entrepreneurship Relevant to my Research?
A brief reflection about how being an entrepreneur fit in with an academic career.
How to Finance and Grow Your Startup – Without VC
If you’re an entrepreneur at any stage of your journey, and you need money, this course is for you.
Humanities Business Engagement and Partnerships
Supporting the breadth of academic research interests in the Social Science and Humanities Divisions.
I Have an Idea Related to Research… Now What?
As a student or researcher you need to know the rules around IP in the university.
Innovation for Entrepreneurs: From Idea to Marketplace
Developing insights on navigating the innovation process from idea generation to commercialisation.
Innovation Forum Oxford
The Innovation Forum seeks to promote innovation by building bridges between academia, industry and government.
Institute of Directors (IoD)
Organisation supporting, representing and setting standards for business leaders nationwide.
Intellectual Property workshop resource list
Resources for anyone exploring their rights and responsibilities around intellectual property (IP).
Investment Companies
Looking to invest or find investment? Here's a list of companies from Oxfordshire and beyond.
IP Workshop Slides June 2018
Here are the slides from the recent Intellectual Property (IP) Rights and Responsibilities Workshop on 20 June.
Keats, pitching and being enterprising
How negative capabilities can help to identify opportunities for becoming enterprising.
Keeping your Startup Idea in Good Shape
Some advice from the Founder of ChattyFeet to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Key Characteristics of an Entrepreneur
What does it take to become an entrepreneur? Do you think you could do it? There are a set of key charcteristics which many ...
Kirsty Lloyd-Jukes, CEO of Latent Logic
Kirsty is the CEO for Latent Logic - using state-of-the-art machine learning to develop VR test environments for autonomous cars.
Leading for Impact
Leading for Impact helps you solve social and environmental problems in your current or future career.
Leah Spasova, Founder and CEO of LIFESEXPERTS
Leah is a social psychologist and educator, specialising in sex and relationships education for adults. She is the Founder and CEO of ...
Making decisions
This free course will help you understand some of the processes involved in decision making.
MaRS: Entrepreneurship 101
MaRS’ Entrepreneurship 101 (E101) online course equips you with the skills you need to launch a successful business.
MPLS Enterprise Programme
Opportunities for Oxford University members to get information about Oxford Entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Oliver Cox – Creator of Thames Valley Country House Partnership
A way of linking entrepreneurial ideas in the heritage sector with researchers.
Olivia Munk, Founder of Part of the Night
Olivia is the founder of Part of the Night, a theatre company that supports people who identify as female, trans and non-binary.
Olivia Sibony, Head Of Impact Investment at Seedtribe
Liv is an award-winning entrepreneur, founder of a food-tech startup, GrubClub.
Online Entrepreneurship Courses (MOOC)
Free, online entrepreneurship courses from ALISON provide a top-notch online entrepreneurship education to create a startup business.
Online FinTech Courses
Learn and understand fintech with free online classes from top universities and institutions.
OX1
Oxford's first start-up incubator programme designed by student entrepreneurs, for student entrepreneurs, which does not take equity or IP.
OXFO Booster Grants
Apply for up to £2,000 grant funding for student society initiatives that introduce entrepreneurship in the University.
OXFO L.E.V8
A University of Oxford acclerator designed to support and nurture early-stage start-up teams affiliated to the University.
OXFO L.E.V8 Women
Empowering Oxford's current and future female leaders and founders to pursue their entrepreneurial purpose.
Oxford Case Studies – Albus Health
An University spinout determined to combat this with a radical approach to asthma care.
Oxford Case Studies – Hutano Diagnostics
A start-up developing a diagnostic, tracking and surveillance platform for dangerous infectious diseases in Africa.
Oxford Case Studies – OxyClot
Training the next generation of global leaders in digital health innovation.
Oxford Case Studies: Mycelium
It is better to be extraordinary and fail, then try to be ordinary and succeed.
Oxford Case Studies: VeriVin
Smart technology for identification and classification of complex liquids in sealed containers.
Oxford Hub
A centre for social action that’s open to everyone, and that takes a collaborative approach to solving some of today’s most pressing issues.
Oxford University Innovation (OUI)
A wholly-owned subsidiary of the University of Oxford, it manages the University's technology transfer and consulting activities.
Oxfordshire Business Support
A practical guide to supporting Oxfordshire businesses at all stages, by people with honest first-hand experience.
Oxfordshire Social Entrepreneurship Partnership (OSEP)
OSEP has been set up to help existing and prospective social entrepreneurs plan, develop and grow their businesses across Oxfordshire.
OxLEP
Championing Oxfordshire’s economic potential, acting as a catalyst and convener to drive a dynamic, sustainable and growing economy.
Perch @ Eco Business Centre
A mixture of offices and coworking space. The perfect place for people who live and work sustainably
Professor Dame Carol Robinson, Co-founder of OMass
A company studying proteins in their native folded states.
Rajarshi Banerjee – CEO of Perspectum Diagnostics
Rajarshi is the CEO of Perspectum Diagnostics, detecting and quantitatively measuring of liver, gallbladder and pancreatic disease.
RisingWISE: empowering enterprising women
Oxbridge network that aims to foster long-term relationships between enterprising early-career researchers and women working in industry.
Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards
One of the UK’s largest student and graduate business pitching competitions.
Science Innovation Union
A training platform, bridging the gap between academia, industry, and government.
Scientific Entrepreneurship – MPLS Enterprise
Success in a start-up business is significantly enhanced with an understanding of key entrepreneurial characteristics and competencies.
Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship
The centre aims at maximising the impact of social entrepreneurship to transform unjust systems around the world.
So What is Innovation Anyway?
A definition co-written by Oxford students, the Careers Service and the Humanities Division.
Social Enterprise Mentorship
Providing direct support to enable social entrepreneurs to reach their goals.
Social Enterprise UK
National body for social enterprise – business with a social or environmental mission.
Social Entrepreneurship: exploring the buzzword
Let's explore the buzzword that is increasingly featuring in the business and start-up sector.
Social Entrepreneurship? Enterprise? Innovation?
Let's shed some light on the definitions and relations between the three.
Spyridon Pavlos, co-founder of IRmage
Spyridon Pavlos is the Co-founder of IRmage, an affordable remote sensing vision system.
SSE Funding List
A page where to find all the details about grants and support to social enterprises.
Startup Bootcamp: Fintech London
A leading program supporting innovative companies in the financial services industry.
Startups.co.uk
UK’s leading independent, online resource for anyone starting and growing a business, established in 2000.
Student Entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship education is becoming more prominent, with many students seeking to learn more about business.
Swati Kanoi, co-founder of Wallaroo
Swati is co-founder of WALLAROO, a food company dedicated to challenging our idea of clean snacking.
Tech City Digital Business Academy
Free online courses to help you start, grow or join a digital business.
Tech hubs where your start-up can flourish
Workspace is about more than a desk: it’s about access to the right equipment, services, and facilities.
Tech Nation
Empowering ambitious tech entrepreneurs to grow faster through knowledge and connections; to build a UK economy fit for the next generation.
TechNation: Upscale
Helping the UK’s most promising tech companies to accelerate their growth and unlock the key to scaling successfully.
TED Talks for Entrepreneurs
TED Talks are a great source of information, advice and experience to help you with any idea you have, no matter what stage you are at.
TED Talks for Exploring Entrepreneurship
TED Talks are a great source of information, advice and experience to help you with any idea you have, no matter what stage you are at.
TED Talks for Social Entrepreneurs
TED Talks are a great source of information, advice and experience to help you with any idea you have, no matter what stage you are at.
The ‘secret’ network that transformed my startup
An unusual type of network where you could build really good business relationships.
The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Oxford Explore and Build
A bit more in depth, a bit more work, but the effort will be worth it!
The First Questions to Ask Yourself when You have that Big Idea Part 1
Dr Stuart Wilkinson gives advice on business ideas and how to manage them.
The First questions to ask yourself when you have that big idea Part 2
Dr Stuart Wilkinson gives advice on business ideas and how to manage them.
The First questions to ask yourself when you have that big idea Part 3
Dr Stuart Wilkinson gives advice on business ideas and how to manage them.
The First questions to ask yourself when you have that big idea Part 4
Dr Stuart Wilkinson gives advice on business ideas and how to manage them.
The Hill
A healthcare ideas lab, situated at the heart of Oxford’s medical, academic, digital and entrepreneurial communities.
The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH)
TORCH provides a range of training and development opportunities for early career researchers in Humanities.
The Oxford Social Entrepreneur’s Journey
Useful information about social entrepreneurship in Oxfordshire.
Trang Tran, COO of Archangel Imaging
Trang is currently working as the interim COO at Archangel Imaging.
Translational funding
Translational funding is used to bridge a ‘gap’ in development between early stage university research and its commercialisation.
True.
Europe’s only retail and consumer sector specialist, that operates across the entire investment vertical.
Udemy: Build. Measure. Learn. Lean Startup
Become a Lean Startup Guru. Learn Lean Methodology from Lean experts like Eric Ries, Steve Blank, and more.
Understanding Intellectual Property (IP)
As a student, you need to understand what IP is, who owns it, and what can be done with it before proceeding with an idea.
University of Oxford Entrepreneurship Support
Organisations and student groups providing opportunities to explore entrepreneurship in the University.
Unleash Your Potential: Innovation and Enterprise
Get an introduction to innovation and enterprise, and learn to generate and evaluate your own ideas.
Urbanoid
Providing high quality serviced office working space for small businesses and organisations.
Venturefest Oxford
An annual event that brings together innovators, investors and entrepreneurs within the high-tech sector.
What does it mean to be Entrepreneurial?
It is not just about starting a business, or spinning out a company from research. It's a mindset, or a way of thinking.
What is an Entrepreneur?
Academia, entrepreneurship and . . . motorcycles? Dr Katie Jennings talks about what she thinks an entrepreneur is.
What is an MVP (hint: it’s not the most valuable player)?
The most basic form of your idea that will generate the most interest/validation.
What Really Fosters Innovation (Infographic)
The importance of innovation and the conditions that foster it.
When can I call myself a science entrepreneur?
Holly Reeve's journey from research scientist to startup co-founder
Why do an entrepreneurship course if you are not interested in entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship skills are essential whether you start a business or not. So what skills are these?
Why Humanities Graduates Make Great Entrepreneurs
Th benefits for business that come from humanities.
Why You (As a Student) Need to Learn Entrepreneurial Skills
Learn the skills that employers are looking for.
Witney Business and Innovation Centre
If you’re looking to accelerate your business growth, Witney Business & Innovation Centre provides the ideal environment to do just that.
xEdu
Europe's leading business accelerator for edtech startups creating transformative learning solutions with pedagogical impact.
YES Young Entrepreneurs Scheme
A global competition developed to raise awareness of how ideas from science and engineering can be commercialised.
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Enterprising Oxford is a University of Oxford initiative to help connect people to the entrepreneurship resources they need, and to promote entrepreneurship across Oxfordshire.
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