The Deck is a dedicated entrepreneurship and innovation space and is managed by the Student Startups team. The Deck is a collaborative workspace for student entrepreneurs to work on their business ideas and is also open for staff bookings, depending on availability. Enquire about The Deck here.
(Formerly the Pre-Incubator)
(Formerly the Incubator)
Open to students and graduates from all degree disciplines
Programmes delivered in Exeter and Penryn
Student Startups Programmes
Got an idea? Let's make it happen.
Whether you're developing a new app, launching a social enterprise, creating an innovative product, or bringing a creative project to life, the Student Startups team are here to help you take the next step.
- Do you have the seed of an idea and don't know where to start?
- Do you have a side-hustle that you’re looking to consolidate and grow?
- Are you considering an entrepreneurial path post-graduation and want to get started now?
Our programmes enable student founders take their ideas from concept to launch. Across three practical phases, you will explore real customer needs, test your assumptions, shape your business model, and discover how to bring your idea to market.
Along the way, you'll gain expert support, valuable feedback, access to funding and the confidence to take action.
The Student Startups programme is open to all students from all disciplines, and recent graduates (up to 2 years out of university).
Previously the Pre-Incubator
Application deadline: Sunday 4th October 2026
Programme starts: Wednesday 14th October 2026*
Register your interest in the Startup Foundations programme
Startup Foundations is all about exploring your idea and building the foundations for success. You'll develop the mindset, skills, and confidence needed to think like an entrepreneur and you will learn how to validate your ideas and shape a compelling value proposition.
Working alongside other aspiring founders, you'll define the problem you're trying to solve, identify who your customers are, and test whether your assumptions match real-world needs. You will explore different business models, discover how successful ventures create value, and gain practical experience in rapid prototyping and testing.
How it works
- Weekly in-person workshops, combining theory and hands-on application
- One-to-one advice and guidance as you develop your idea
- At the end of the programme, you will have the opportunity to pitch for Market Validation funding to test and validate the viability of your idea.
Eligibility
All participants start their journey at Part 1 and to join the programme you should be able to:
- Articulate an entrepreneurial idea that you want to explore and develop further, or a problem that you actively trying to solve through an entrepreneurial solution.
- Explain what makes your idea different and what impact it could have.
*If you miss the Autumn intake or want to join the programme later in the year, please note that Part 1 will be repeated in an intensive 4-day format at our Startup Bootcamp (dates TBC).
Starts: 10 March 2027
Startup Validation is all about testing your idea in the real world and building evidence that customers actually want what you're creating.
You'll get out of the building, speak to potential customers, conduct market research, and gather valuable feedback to help refine your product, service, or venture. Through experimentation and validation, you'll learn what works, what doesn't, and how to adapt your idea based on real insights rather than assumptions.
By understanding your market and responding to customer needs, you'll take meaningful steps towards achieving product-market fit and demonstrating genuine demand for your venture.
How it works
- Fortnightly progress check-ins to keep you on track
- One-to-one advice and guidance as you develop your idea
- Opportunities to attend relevant external startup and entrepreneurship events and build your professional network
Curious to learn more about entrepreneurship? Need help coming up with a business idea?
Come to a friendly and interactive taster session to meet the Student Startups team and learn more about the Student Startups programmes.
- Meet the Student Startups team
- Explore our startup co-working space, The Deck
- Develop a new purpose-driven idea or venture
- Become a change-maker!
More taster sessions coming soon.
Got an early-stage idea and want some advice?
The Student Startups team host weekly drop-in Q&A sessions via Microsoft Teams for students or graduates to pop in and chat with us about their business idea. Anyone can join a drop-in session, regardless of whether you are currently enrolled on a Student Startups programme.
Drop-ins run every Tuesday from 2-3pm. Please contact the Student Startup team to request a link to access the session.
The Student Startup Inspiration Talks are curated to bring together a diverse line-up of entrepreneurs from across different sectors and at different stages in their journey. Each event will centre around a specific theme and we will invite guest speakers to give a brief talk about their startup story and then follow-up with a moderated panel-style discussion around the theme of that talk. There will also be opportunity for you to ask questions and dig deeper into individual stories and it’s a great opportunity to be inspired by a wide range of different founders and ventures.
Who can attend?
Inspiration Talks are open to all in the University of Exeter’s community– students, graduates, staff. You don’t have to be in one of our core programmes to join a talk and it’s a great place to dive in and get a flavour of who we are and what we do.
Upcoming events:
What is it?
The Summer Startup Bootcamp is an intensive 4 days, designed to equip you with the skills and resources required to go from idea to launch and to build a viable and sustainable new business’. The Bootcamp takes place in-person, in The Deck on the Streatham Campus and is packed with valuable workshops, activities and opportunities for networking and collaboration.
You will have opportunity to work with other like-minded people, to explore topics such as customer discovery, business models, revenue streams, market validation and pitching skills. You will end the Bootcamp more confident in being able to articulate your start-up idea to others, equipped with new skills and experience and with a clear plan of next steps on your start-up journey.
Who can apply?
The Summer Startup Bootcamp programme is open to all students from all disciplines, and recent graduates (up to 2 years out of university).
To apply to the programme you should be able to:
- Identify why you are interested in exploring an entrepreneurial pathway.
- Articulate an entrepreneurial idea that you want to explore and develop further, or a problem that you actively trying to solve through an entrepreneurial solution.
- Explain what makes your idea different and what impact it could have.
Dates and deadlines:
The next Summer Startup Bootcamp will take place in 2027.
Additional opportunities
Below are details of other opportunities available to you on your Startup journey, through a range of partners we work with.
Exeter's annual ELEVATE EIBF Engineering and Sciences Pitch Competition is now open!
Have an innovative business idea or project with a positive impact?
Pitch your business idea in November for a share of £6,000 in grants and a chance to compete nationally for £16,000 in Summer 2026.
Eligibility:
- University of Exeter students or recent graduates (within 2 years)
- Teams must include at least one Engineering, Computing, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Biomedical student
- Demonstrate commitment and entrepreneurial ambition
Questions: a.strong@exeter.ac.uk
ELEVATE Engineers in Business Fellowship (EIBF) Engineering and Sciences Business Pitch Competition prizes are generously sponsored by EIBF and the national Sainsbury Management Fellows Charity and led at University of Exeter by Amber Strong-Yates.
Enactus is Exeter University’s Social Enterprise society; just one of a larger network of student societies spread across Universities all over the world.
Enactus create projects that tackle global issues such as poverty, waste or homelessness. Enactus Local and International projects see a problem, use entrepreneurial action to find a solution and improve the lives of the individuals and communities that we work with.
Enactus society use The Deck space on a weekly basis and have launched numerous sustainable business projects including Urban Mushroom Co, Biosmart and Altr.d clothing.
Exeter Entrepreneurs is the University of Exeter's society for people that are business minded with an interest in entrepreneurial skills. Events run by the society give you the opportunity to network with top entrepreneurs and employers and develop a startup idea through skills workshops, mentoring, hackathons and pitch events.
Exeter's international Technology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (TEB) provides an opportunity for innovators and creative thinkers to experience developing & launching a business.
In 5 days you’ll form a team, develop, launch and pitch your start-up to real investors, alongside Exeter’s leading engineers, entrepreneurs and technologists!
Learn from Gigi Wang, UC Berkeley Industry Fellow, the Silicon Valley expert who mentored Uber!
Dates and Deadlines
The next TEB will run 8th-12th June 2026.
TEB Tickets for current University of Exeter students
A limited number of TEB Programme and Administration Fee Bursaries are available for current Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate Taught (PGT) University of Exeter students, upon application (£85 Registration Fee remaining). Apply here for a current UoE student bursary, to join TEB 2026 Bootcamp.
All TEB 2026 tickets must be purchased by 30th April 2026
Enquiries: TEBbootcamp@exeter.ac.uk