Launch

Oxford Venture Builder

Unlock your entrepreneurial potential.

Programme overview

Oxford Venture Builder, delivered by Oxford Saïd Entrepreneurship Centre, supported by EnSpire Oxford, is a free seven-week programme for Oxford students, researchers, faculty and staff who want to develop a business idea, on their own or as a team. You don't need any experience or business background.

It starts with a three-day bootcamp, followed by weekly evening sessions and one-to-one mentoring from a pool of around 30 mentors. You'll learn to understand your customers, test your idea, develop your product and find the right team. The programme ends with a pitching night, where top teams compete for a share of a cash grant. No equity is taken.

Applications for 2026 are closed. The next cohort starts in summer 2027.

How to apply

Submit an application when the next round opens. Shortlisted applicants are invited to interview.

OVB 2026 Pitch Night

Founders pitching at the Oxford Venture Builder pitch night.

Still not sure where you fit?

Book a 20-minute clinic with the team

Most people arrive with nothing but a hunch — that is the normal place to start, and it is the beginning of every story on this page.

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