Start Your Business
Do you have a business idea but don’t know where to start?
Who is this programme for?
Formerly known as Ideation and Validation, Start Your Business is built for aspiring entrepreneurs, dreamers or fixers, who have an idea for creating an exciting venture – that might solve problems from the everyday to the experimental.
You may have multiple ideas and want to narrow them down, or you may be interested in starting a business but don’t have an idea yet – whatever stage you are at, our team can help you get started!
Founders must be living/operating in or benefiting the area of Cambridge, Peterborough or Hackney.
The offer
Open to people with an exciting idea who needs a helping hand in understanding the basics of building a business. We’ll help you plan out the early days, what you need to do to get set up for success and identify if your idea has legs. Get your ideas off the ground with:
- 2 months of dedicated support from our experienced business advisors
- Expert led workshops, from exploring the Business Model Canvas to defining your market
- 1-1 tailored support from our team & mentors
- A community of like-minded entrepreneurs
- Alumni benefits including exclusive discounts & free co-working days
- Completely free programme - no equity fees or charges
Important stuff
- Applications aren’t currently open for this programme, but register your interest now and we will contact you when the next programme is scheduled to run.
- This programme will run in Cambridge, Peterborough and Hackney, East London
- Sessions will be delivered in person as much as possible with some online delivery and mentoring
- This programme is fully funded, so free for you to access.
- Our programmes in Cambridge and Peterborough are part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund
Our Programmes
Not quite right for you and your business? Explore our other programmes to find the best fit!
Still have questions?
FAQs
Building a venture is not easy. There are a whole host of challenges that will arise, and it helps to have someone by your side to give share an external perspective, give guidance on best practice and to help connect you with like-minded founders, mentors, and resources.
We select applications from people with great ideas and the passion to turn them into a business. Once you have completed the application form and we have reviewed your application, we’ll invite shortlisted candidates to an interview. Shortly after your interview, we’ll let you know whether your application has been successful.
Anyone who has an idea for a venture but doesn’t know where to start or just needs a helping hand in understanding the basics of building a business.
You may be interested in starting your own business, but do not have an idea yet. Or you may have multiple ideas and want to narrow them down. Whatever stage you are at, our team can help!
We would expect that you have not yet registered with any of the governmental bodies regulating the creation of enterprises, charities, and the like.
We expect you to attend at least 70% of the course content as it is critical to ensure you have a comprehensive picture of the issues entrepreneurs face. You should dedicate 2-4 hours a week for the duration of the programme, except for the Minimum Viable product workshop in month 2, which will operate at a different time schedule. You should engage with your Business Advisor to ensure you are getting the maximum benefit and on occasion you will be set homework tasks.
The Allia enterprise support team will guide you through the tools and techniques to get a business idea out of your head, rapidly iterate on it and run it through some steps to see if it ‘holds water’. We will also give you helping hand to understand the basics of running a business.
