The University of Sunderland is celebrating ten years of entrepreneurial talent as it marks the tenth anniversary of its business start-up fund.

The University of Sunderland's Accelerator Fund has supported entrepreneurship and business start-up opportunities for students and recent graduates since 2016.

To mark ten years since its foundation, a celebratory event took place at Hope Street Xchange, in Sunderland, on Monday, October 12.

The guestlist included some of the businesses that have benefited from the Accelerator Fund including Lauren Young, who completed her illustration and design degree in 2019 and launched her freelance illustration business Lauren Young Illustration shortly after.

Some of the successful businesses to have benefited from the University of Sunderland's Accelerator Fund.

placeholder image — Some of the successful businesses to have benefited from the University of Sunderland's Accelerator Fund.

She said: “I genuinely don’t think I would be where I am today without the initial support I received from the University of Sunderland.”

She continued: “The Accelerator Fund allowed me to move into my first dedicated studio, with the funding contributing towards the rent, internet, consumables and a scanner.

"At the time, having a professional space to work from made a huge difference to the way I could run and present my business.

"It gave me somewhere to meet clients, pack and prepare orders and hold events, while also allowing me to separate my work from my home life.

"Most importantly, it gave me the space and foundations I needed for the business to grow at a time when I simply could not have afforded a studio myself.”

Sir David Bell, vice-chancellor and chief executive of the University of Sunderland, said: “The North East continues to have one of the lowest rates of business start-up activity in the country.

"Encouraging more people to take that first step into entrepreneurship is critically important.

“As a civic university, we see supporting enterprise as a key part of our role in strengthening the region's economy and creating opportunities for our communities.

“It is a source of real pride to see our graduates not only creating their own employment but also generating opportunities for others as their businesses grow.

“The impact of the Accelerator Fund extends well beyond financial support. It helps us maintain meaningful connections with alumni, many of whom give back by sharing their experiences with current students through talks, mentoring and workshops.

“The long-term value of this early investment cannot be overstated.”