Join us in supporting the next generation of emerging entrepreneurs and change makers launching impactful ventures! 

On Wednesday 4th February 2026 the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship will be showcasing our latest cohort of student-founded ventures seeking to make an impact in the world. Join us to celebrate our top 10 ventures pitching their ideas and venture ambitions! 

The UCE Summer Startup Programme is our flagship programme, aimed at providing UC students the opportunity to explore their ideas, transforming their passions into action, and launching their impact in the world. We help fast-track ideas into action, and provide the foundations for launching commercial ventures and social enterprises that create value in the world.

Over 10 action-packed weeks, we create a supportive environment that will help students to build and develop their entrepreneurial mindset, while providing them with the capabilities and support to explore, validate, and launch their ventures. 

Our 2025/26 Summer Startup Programme has included 23 participants, across 18 ventures. These incorporate a diverse range of ideas from fashion brands, high-performance sports equipment, seaweed-derived soft-plastic packaging, through to ai automation services, …, and blockchain education platforms.

Now in our 13th year, the Summer Startup programme is an intensive 10 week validator and accelerator programme that empowers students with the capabilities and support to launch their ventures. We’ve got a rich alumni of entrepreneurs and ventures including:  

·         Hannah Duder (Indigo & Iris) 

·         Luke Campbell & Lucy Turner (VXT) 

·         Chris Bacon & Jack Wood (Komodo Wellbeing) 

·         Ben Scales & William Murrell (Kiwifibre) 

·         Monique Lau (Endosoothe) 

·         Emma Arvidson & Renee Tauwhare (Teiny)

·         Jade Luxton (Sterineedle)

·         Emmalee Abbott-Joe (FROTH)

This year our ventures and participants have been exposed to 80 + guest speakers, workshop facilitators, and mentors including Di Foster (Accidental Business Owners Podcast), Mahesh Muralidhar (Phase One Ventures), Luke Campbell (VXT),Nathan Taylor (Partly), Tomas Tappin (Two Dudes), Guy Horrocks, and many more inspiring entrepreneurs and leading business professionals. Alongside insightful field trips to the likes of Pure Sports Nutrition, Hamilton Jet, VXT, Partly, Peerage Products, Tait Communications, Kea Aerospace, and the Ministry of Awesome. 

Please come and join us for our 2026 Summer Startup Showcase event. Be inspired by the innovative ideas and ventures our participants have been creating, and support the next generation of emerging entrepreneurs and change makers!