What is the STARTup higher Unconference?
Our ‘Uncon’ is a 2.5-day event that brings you the best talks, workshops and opportunities to meet others helping and inspiring entrepreneurs. It has a simple objective; to help inspire you and those that you work with. Aimed at entrepreneurship educators, startups and those that are passionate about supporting entrepreneurs, our unconference will offer you stories, tools and connections to help you and your community. It also comes with the Startup Higher guarantee - you won’t be bored!
14th May 2025 - 18:00 - 22:00 - nibble and nobble 😋
This is where the magic happens. The evening welcome reception is all about getting to know the rest of the unconference attendees. We want to build a community and what better way than meeting other startup higher peeps to get the energy up for the next two days! The event is about building genuine helpful connections
18:00 - Evening registration & welcome reception + theme creation for unconference sessions
19:00 - Welcome speeches and ice breakers over dinner and networking
22:00 - Time to depart and rest up for Day 2
15th May 2025 - 9am - 5.30pm - the startup higher UNconference 🚀
The second day will kick off with inspiring talks, delivered by awesome entrepreneurs and the people that helped them. This will be followed by mini-unconference tracks which you can choose from. Don’t worry about missing out, we try and capture all of our talks so you can catch up later! We will also create space for that all-important ‘human contact’ keeping the conversations going till dinner.
We are then treated to an evening social from 7pm, simply put, great food, great company and great surroundings.
9:00 - Arrivals and breakfast 🥣
9:30 - Kick-off opening talk
9:45 - 1st Unconference session
10:45 - Quick Keynote and welcome from Loughborough University London
11:00 - Break ☕
11:15 - Fireside Talk - Diverse Investment - how do we get investment into businesses from sectors that don’t traditionally attract investment?
12:00 - 2nd Unconference session
13:00 - Lunch 😋
13:45 - Unconference session checkpoint
14:15 - 3rd Unconference session
15:15 - Break 🍪
15:30 - 4th Unconference session
16:30 - Panel Discussion - Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
17:30 - Close of Day 2
19:00 - Evening social
16th May 2025 - 9.30 - 12.30 pm the debrief 🤓
The third and final day will kick off with a relaxed set of killer keynotes over breakfast. We will then catch up on what went on in the unconference sessions, giving you lots to think about on your restful journey back. This laid-back bonus morning also offers a final opportunity to exchange details with future collaborators 😊
9:30 - Arrivals and breakfast 🥣
10:00 - Kick-off
10:10 - Entrepreneurial Stories - Guest speakers
10:45 - 4th and Final unconference session
11:45 - Bringing it all together - wrap up
12:30 - Farewells and send off with packed lunch 🥪
Where In 2025? Loughborough University London 🏰
We are back to London (Loughborough style)!
Collaboration is at the heart of what we do at Startup Higher. We are delighted to be bringing the might of Startup Higher to Loughborough’s campus in east London in 2025. As a space for all of those involved in good growth, we are excited to once again be inviting entrepreneurship educators, innovators, entrepreneurs and those in the charitable sector together to learn and build better.
London is the world in one city, and we know that our hosts will delight in showcasing its entrepreneurial eco-system that exists right at the heart of Loughborough’s campus. Uncorking exciting urban socials and building community amongst you. Loughborough’s campus is located on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It has incredible transport links with City and Stanstead airports less than 30 minutes away. It is home to Hackney Wick Station and a stonesthrow (with a free bus) from Stratford International and Stratford stations. There really couldn’t be a better way to get connected.
We are particularly excited to be connecting in east London. The Startup Scene in the UK is umbilically connected to Shoreditch, Tech City, Silicon Roundabout and the creativity, curiosity and collaboration that exists in this great part of the capital city. Startup Higher is a great mechanism for building connections that truly use the innovation process to create sustainable change in the world. East London is a canvas for us to show and build good growth - we are delighted to make it home in 2025.
Dean of Loughborough University London Professor Aidan McGarry said “Getting connected with curious minds hellbent on creating change in the world is a huge part of the experience here at Loughborough University London. We are excited to welcome the Startup Higher Team and its 2025 Unconference to our campus. The delights of east London await.”
When? 14-16th May 2025 😎
Technically it’s British springtime so you can expect light showers or possibly snow. Wonderful timing we think 🕰