Regional Support
Support for start-ups within North East England
Workspace
Co-working spaces where you can meet like-minded people and access specialist support.
- The START UP Space, Level 1, King's Gate building, offers hot-desking and open-plan meeting space. Perfect for catching up with the team and community.
- Newcastle Helix brings researchers, start-ups and international brands together. Perfect for a focus on data science, urban science, or life science.
- Floe and TusPark both offer hot-desking, meeting rooms and private office space. TusPark also has a ‘maker space’. Perfect for connecting and collaborating with other entrepreneurs.
- One Strawberry Lane has office space, meeting space, co-working spaces, and a cafe for collaborative working. Perfect if you don't want to walk far from campus.
- Northern Design Centre, part of Design Network North, offers state-of-the-art audio-visual systems. Perfect for creative and design-led businesses.
- PROTO offers advanced technology facilities. This includes a film and TV studio, an immersive lab, sound recording and event space. Perfect for creative tech businesses.
Networks and socials
Join a network or attend a social event to make new connections and drive your business forward.
- FIRST provide courses, workshops and events. They also run the Startup Awards North East.
- Generator Union is a membership network and community for creative professionals.
- Mussel Club is one of the largest networks within the North East business community.
- NetKno is a good source of networking events and workshops across the region.
- Sunderland Software City offers business support and events with a focus on digital and tech.
Accelerators
Specialist packages of support to help you launch or grow a business.
- START UP Founderships is Newcastle University's annual 6-month business pre-accelerator. It helps new and recent graduates to launch ambitious, growth-orientated companies.
- Ignite offers a 3-month business pre-accelerator for new tech companies. They also offer a 6-month business accelerator for existing tech companies.
- NatWest Accelerator offers a variety of programmes to help launch, grow or scale a business.
Annual events
Annual start-up events and conferences held in Newcastle.
- Thinking Digital is a paid-for conference with a focus on digital and tech. It includes thought-provoking talks, workshops and networking.
- VentureFest is a free conference with a focus on innovation. It includes keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and networking.
- TechNExt Festival is an annual 5 day festival celebrating tech. It features lots of free events.
The Annual Thinking Digital Conference for those curious about technology, ideas and the future.
An event by FIRST for those looking to develop their enterprise skills.
The Startup Awards North East by FIRST for founders of all stages who want to celebrate their achievements and network within the region.
The Ignite Pre-Accelerator programme for those with ambitious tech start-up ideas.
The Ignite Pre-Accelerator showcase for those with ambitious tech start-ups.
Advanced technology facilities and programmes at PROTO.
Advanced technology facilities and programmes at PROTO.