Â鶹ƵµÀ

Skip to main content

She Starts

Murray Edwards Enterprising Women: First steps into entrepreneurship
More in Murray Edwards Enterprising Women section
Three women talking in a garden
Welcome to She Starts - a dynamic new free programme for women from across Cambridge University who want to learn more about entrepreneurship and potentially found their own company.

We’re based at Â鶹ƵµÀ but open to all women undergraduate and postgraduate students, postdocs and researchers at the University, as well as recent graduates.

This free programme will help you find out if enterprise is for you as you join our exciting weekend intensive course (Friday evening to Sunday evening, 14-16 March 2025). You’ll work with other course members to form teams and develop and test out a business idea with the support of experienced mentors.  

To give you practical insights into the minds of potential investors, you’ll present your pitch to a judging panel of top entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business leaders from leading organisations including AstraZeneca. They will give you invaluable feedback and advice. 

There will be great networking opportunities, too, as you mingle with fellow would-be entrepreneurs, specially selected mentors and senior business figures. After the course, we’ll offer regular support and advice as you pursue your start-up dream, and the chance to join further stages of the programme to help you make your idea a reality. 

The focus of this launch programme will be enterprises linked to healthcare, health-related technologies and fem tech (technology tailored towards women’s health). However, if you have an idea for another kind of business, or are simply interested in enterprise in general, please do apply. 

More information about the programme, eligibility and more is below. Applications are now open. To apply, please fill in our and return it to enterprisingwomen@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk. Contact Lisa Brent or Paula Rogers-Brown on enterprisingwomen@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk with any enquiries. 

What the weekend course will cover: 
  • Creating a business concept
  • Building a team
  • Identifying a market for your proposed product or service
  • Researching the competition
  • Commercialising academic research
  • Pitching your business idea
  • Protecting your intellectual property
  • Networking effectively 

By the end of the weekend, you will know the basics of founding a business, and you will have expanded your networks. If you are interested in going further along the path to being a female founder, you will be able to apply for our programme for those who have their business idea. 

How to apply 

Please complete this .

We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis, and we encourage you to apply early. Applications will close at noon on Wednesday 19 February 2025.

 

test

FAQs

She Starts - all you need to know

  • The programme is open to University of Cambridge women students regardless of college, department or institute affiliation. Applicants can be studying any subject. Those eligible are:
  • Undergraduate students
  • Postgraduates
  • Postdocs
  • Recent graduates (up to three years after graduation) 

You don’t need an idea! This venture weekend is designed to allow you to form teams and create ideas as a group. If you do arrive with an idea, that's fine too.

Our primary aim is to form teams over the weekend, through the alignment of interests and diversity of research/technical backgrounds. However, if you are already in a team (at a very early stage), then you can still apply, but applications should be on an individual basis, and you need to clearly state who your team members are. If in doubt, please to discuss. 

Absolutely! This is encouraged. While this venture weekend is designed as a foundation programme, you will have the opportunity to build out venture ideas on topics that will have great commercial interest. We aim to continue support for your entrepreneurial journey beyond the weekend.

The course is free. Food, refreshments and learning materials are all included.

The course takes place at Paula Browne House, Â鶹ƵµÀ, a short walk or cycle up Castle Hill from Magdalene Bridge. Find details here of how to get to us.

No, we don’t provide accommodation as most of those eligible will already be in Cambridge. If you are a graduate and now based some distance from Cambridge, please get in touch to discuss.

Successful applicants are expected to fully participate in the venture weekend, held over three days from 5pm Friday 14 March to 9.30pm Sunday 16 March 2025. This is in-person only. 

Applications will close at noon on Wednesday 19th February 2025.

Please complete the and return it by noon on Wednesday 19 February 2025.

If after applying you can no longer attend the venture weekend, please inform us immediately by email. If you cancel less than 48 hours prior to the course, you may incur a charge of £70 per person. 

No substitute attendees can take a reserved place. 

Â鶹ƵµÀ reserves the right to cancel or reschedule the event due to unforeseen circumstances.

Â鶹ƵµÀ will not own any rights to ideas or businesses generated during the programme. If you or your team want to take forward any ideas generated and form a company, you would come to an agreement outside the programme.

The programme is free, and the College will not take equity in any businesses formed. Our passion is creating the right environment (through networks, knowledge and learning) to build a greater pipeline of female-led businesses. 

Members of a team will be treated equally and fairly in this start-up venture weekend. Any founder roles, rights and obligations would be discussed and negotiated in good faith upon programme completion. 

Please contact Lisa Brent or Programme Manager Paula Rogers-Brown on enterprisingwomen@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk.

 

test

Begin your start-up journey

Apply now