The first workshop in the Startup Basics programme and most popular workshop we offer: Finding a Place to Start is the perfect beginning for your entrepreneurial journey. You don’t need an idea or any enterprise experience, that’s what we’ll go over in this session.

In this workshop we’ll cover:

• Team introductions – meet your friendly Student Enterprise team and learn more about the support available to you throughout the programme and beyond.
• Skills survey – a quick, anonymous survey. This is not a test or a review of you; it simply helps us understand how effective the workshops are and where we can improve future sessions.
• Where ideas come from – we’ll walk you through practical ways to come up with a business idea. If you already have an idea, that’s great. If not, we’ll provide simple AI prompts to help you generate an example idea you can use during the sessions.
• Founder Fit Canvas – in this individual exercise, we’ll talk you through the canvas and explore how to find an idea that fits you, including your skills, knowledge, interests and network.
• Problem brainstorming – we’ll move into guided brainstorming in small groups, sharing and exploring problems you’re interested in working on. Our facilitators will be on hand to guide the conversation, answer questions and make sure no one is left out.
• Real examples – we’ll share stories from student founders and talk through their journeys, highlighting what worked and what they learned along the way.
• Switching groups – you’ll have the chance to switch groups and speak to a few different people before returning to individual work on the canvas.
• Finish – we’ll close with practical tips and things to bear in mind as you continue thinking about ideas after the session.

Startup Basics programme: 

Whether you’re actively thinking about starting something, or just want to explore the idea in a low-pressure way, this programme is designed to help you take your first steps.

Led by our friendly and experienced team, this series of workshops breaks down the startup process into clear, manageable steps. You can attend individual sessions if that suits you best, but you’ll get the most value by joining the full series and learning alongside the same group of people.

For all students and recent graduates from the University of Edinburgh.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch at students@ei.ed.ac.uk

You can view and register for other Startup Basics sessions here.

Privacy notice: 

Please note that we may take photos and videos at this event to help promote our services within the University of Edinburgh and beyond. If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please speak to a member of the team before the event begins. 

Accessibility notice: 

If you have any questions or accessibility requirements, please don’t hesitate to email us. We’re committed to making our programmes as inclusive and accessible as possible.