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Careers, Employability and Enterprise
The bustling Careers and Enterprise Centre entrance in the Palatine Centre

Durham Venture School

We’re on a mission to bring together exceptional graduates to tackle significant problems and build ventures capable of solving them at scale. 

Durham Venture School is not about refining small ideas. It’s about thinking bigger, challenging assumptions, and building something far more ambitious than you started with. 

Over three to six intensive months, you will: 

  • Identify high-value problems with real-world significance. 
  • Be immersed in a dynamic ecosystem filled with expert resources, coaching, mentorship, and global connections. 
  • Be pushed to move beyond incremental thinking and towards ventures with genuine scale potential 
  • Test, challenge, and discard ideas that don’t meet that bar  
  • Travel to some of the world’s most vibrant startup hubs for unparalleled exposure and inspiration. Previous cohorts have travelled to London, New York and San Francisco. 
  • Compete for the opportunity to pitch for £10,000 initial funding for your new venture 

You don’t need a business idea to take part. We’ll work with you to generate one from the ground up. 

You’re welcome to come with areas you care about or problems you want to solve - but you should be prepared to challenge your assumptions and build something more ambitious than your initial thinking. 

And, to ensure you can focus entirely on this journey, we’re offering a £1,000/month stipend for the first three months 

When does the programme run?  

Durham Venture School is a competitive programme. Selected applicants will take part in the initial three-month phase, from early September to early December 2026. At that point, participants will pitch for £10,000 initial funding for their business and the opportunity to continue for a further three months culminating with a Showcase on 5th March 2027. 

Who can apply?  

Graduates of Durham University, including students graduating in 2026, with a burning desire to make a difference in the world. You will need to be ambitious, ready to challenge your own thoughts and ideas, and willing to work as part of a team to make things happen.  

This opportunity is open to all Durham University graduates and is made possible with the generous donation of alumnus, Jonathan Hazan. 

Participants will be required to be on the programme on a full-time basis. 

If you’re interested Apply Here