ASPIRE

ASPIRE: 

Turn Ambition into Action

ASPIRE at Kent Business School is your chance to transform your entrepreneurial spirit into actions and success. If you want to make your vision into a reality, ASPIRE is where you can make that happen. Good Business starts with you.

Business Start-Up Journey
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Getting to work

Our ASPIRE spaces offer you a unique and exciting entrepreneurial education via informal drop-in sessions and our Business Start-up Journey, a series of practical and inspiring workshops delivering essential start-up knowledge.

All designed with you in mind to inspire and encourage creativity. APSIRE is available to all students from any course at the University of Kent, giving you the chance to expand your network and encounter new ideas.

A sustainable tomorrow

ASPIRE takes inspiration from the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. These goals show us the problems that good business can solve, and act as a framework to create more ethical and environmentally conscious businesses.  

The Business Start-Up Journey

The Business Start-up Journey, an inspirational 18-week programme, provides a step-by-step guide to starting a business, ending in your chance to make a Dragon's Den style pitch. Working alongside other student entrepreneurs helps you test the strength of your idea and transform it into a rounded proposal. You'll learn how to assess risk, turn challenges into opportunities and develop leadership, communication, presentation and teamworking skills. Great skills that give you an edge in whatever field you launch your career in.

Wednesday 19 November 2025, 14:00, LT2, Sibson Building, Canterbury

Inside a Start-up: Real Entrepreneurs Talk

📅 Wednesday 19 November 2025
🕑 14:00 | LT2, Sibson Building, Canterbury
🎟 Spaces are limited — sign up below or email: ASPIRE@kent.ac.uk

Leading the conversation is Kent Business School alumna Nadia Simpson, founder of From Amora, perfume oil brand with almost 30k followers on TikTok, our speakers include:

  • Anabelle Nartey, Medical student, ed-tech entrepreneur, and Founder of TaLearntMed AI™, the UK’s first AI-powered multifactorial medical school matching platform designed to reduce bias, complexity, and costs.
  • Alan Gurung, Philosophy and Politics graduate and co-founder of Advisory AI, a pioneering AI tool for financial services.
  • Tiffany Chiu, Founder of JulieMay Lingerie, the UK’s only lingerie brand certified for sensitive skin. Recognised with numerous honours including the UK Government’s Young Innovator Award and The Telegraph 100 Female Entrepreneurs.
  • Danielle Asaah, Founder of Heavens Touch, a brand born from her journey to create high-quality, natural products for textured hair and skin. Danielle handcrafts each product using high-performance, plant-based ingredients.

Expect a real conversation about the highs, challenges, and breakthroughs of building something from the ground up. You’ll gain practical insights, authentic stories, and honest advice from those who’ve taken the leap and are making an impact. 

Plus, ASPIRE will be announcing details of how you could win £500 for your business in an exciting Detroit Soup-style pitching competition.

Sign up here
Contact us

ASPIRE Drop In sessions

If you need advice on any aspect of starting a business – from market research to finance, marketing or web design – we can help.

Drop by ASPIRE on the first floor of the Sibson building in Canterbury, or email ASPIRE@kent.ac.uk to book a meeting with one of our Entrepreneurs in Residence.

ASPIRE Labs

ASPIRE’s open-plan workspace in Sibson has been specially designed to promote a collaborative working environment. You can work quietly on a business case for a potential investor, rehearse your pitch with partners of take advantage of the resources we provide.  

Forge your own path.

Instead of a traditional Year in Industry, why not opt to run your own business instead?

Our Self-Employed Year in Industry (Selfie) option allows you to turn your business dream into a reality as part of your degree, being supported by expert staff in launching your own business. 

Former KBS Student Nadia Ewura-esi nominated for Sustainability Award
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