Helping students and alumni launch their entrepreneurial journeys
LSE Generate is powering the next generation of entrepreneurs
LSE is becoming the go-to destination for entrepreneurs, all thanks to LSE Generate. Founded in 2018, LSE Generate supports students and alumni looking to launch businesses through incubator and accelerator programmes, funding initiatives, and global support networks. LSE Generate will now be able to further expand their programmes and provisions thanks to a partnership with 1st Formations - the UK’s leading company formation agent. This partnership will help LSE Generate support entrepreneurs and expand their networks through the following three programmes.
Race Equity Community Cluster
Despite the fact that Black and ethnic minority entrepreneurs contribute £25 billion to the UK economy, they receive just 1.7% of venture capital funding. This new community cluster seeks to break barriers to entrepreneurship by providing an event series specifically for founders of colour, featuring industry leaders and investor matchmaking sessions.
Neurodiversity Community Cluster
Over 80% of traditional hiring and funding models fail to accommodate neurodivergent entrepreneurs. However, neurodiverse founders think differently and have the ability to innovate faster and disrupt industries. This cluster will provide a startup toolkit, a neuro-inclusive workspace pilot, the founding of a new neurodivergent funder and investor network, as well as a new programme which will prepare Venture Capital firms, accelerators, and corporate investors on how to identify and invest in neurodiverse entrepreneurs.
Dragon's Den Competition
This is a competition where aspiring founders pitch for startup funding to a panel of judges. Each finalist is given five minutes to pitch their startup, from identified problem to solution, impact, and market strategy. This competition was hosted last month at Putney High School, where, following their five-minute pitches, each contestant was questioned for 10 minutes by the 1st Formations dragons. The contestants included a social enterprise focused on training and employing underrepresented people in Maharashtra, India, an ESG analytics tool, and an AI maths tutor. The winner was Aanchal Khandelwal (BSc Statistics 2016), whose South Asian board game, Samosa, was described by 1st Formations CEO Graeme Donnelly as a “masterclass in modern, low-cost start-up execution.”
At 1st Formations, we help form thousands of UK companies every month, and moments like our Dragon’s Den experience in Putney highlight why we do what we do: to champion founders who turn ambition into action.
At Generate, our entire reason for existing is to help brilliant LSE humans turn ideas into ventures that make the world a little bit better (and sometimes a lot better). But we don’t do it alone; we partner with people and organisations who actually walk the talk when it comes to backing entrepreneurs. 1st Formations are exactly that.
Interested in working with us? Contact Charlotte Rossan for more information on corporate partnerships.
