Changing society through entrepreneurial action
We are one of the best universities for student entrepreneurs in the world with one in seven of our graduates going on to own or manage a business (Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance, 2020).
We believe that entrepreneurial action, along with technological innovation and radical creativity, has the power to effect social change and shape a better world.
The positive impact of enterprise
Middlesex is an ideal place to explore, test and develop new ideas and ventures. Start-ups have a hugely positive impact on the local, national and international economy, so we are committed developing these skills in people beyond our community too.
An entrepreneurial outlook for every student
We believe an entrepreneurial mindset should be embedded across the whole institution. While not all students will become entrepreneurs, the related skills and competencies will be essential in an increasingly complex world of work, from fashion to robotics to accounting.
Our current activity
Our current research in entrepreneurship boosts regional and local economic development in the UK and internationally. An impressive number of our alumni have become successful entrepreneurs, including Anne Boden, founder and CEO of Starling Bank, and David Buttress, founder of Just Eat.
Our partners play a key role in our activity in this theme. We choose to work with external organisations who share our vision of changing society through entrepreneurial action. For example, we partner with Santander Universities who have donated more than £1million over the last decade to support us in employability, entrepreneurship and education. Through a collaboration with London Borough of Barnet, Barnet and Southgate College, and Brent Cross Shopping Centre, we have run the Entrepreneurial Barnet Competition since 2014.
We offer support to students from London to Dubai in this area. We have specialist modules and courses which are delivered by experts and business professionals, one-to-one support for students and graduates through the Enterprise Development Hub, and programmes led by MDXworks as well as mentoring from professionals.
Success stories from our community
Support for global start-ups
In Dubai, The Institute for Entrepreneurship & Business Excellence is where new ventures take flight. Through entrepreneurial knowledge, practical education, high-impact learning, research and experience, we help students and business partners develop their ideas into new businesses. In the UK, MDXcelerator supports students and alumni from all backgrounds who have want to start their own business or learn more about self-employment. This unique programme offers masterclasses and workshops, networking opportunities and one-to-one mentoring from successful business founders and professional services staff from the university. Students studying any subject can also pitch for seed-funding in a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style competition judged by an impressive panel of renowned entrepreneurs and business leaders.
Middlesex’s society of global student entrepreneurs
We are part of Enactus, a global student entrepreneurship programme. Enactus connects university learning with youth social action and youth social enterprise activities, with all projects having to contribute towards one of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The MDX Enactus student society has more than 70 members, plus an executive with officers covering finance, operations, HR and marketing roles. They began their journey to the programme’s finals in summer 2019 by entering two projects:
- WeGen – aimed at supporting and empowering Barnet youth with low-level mental health issues, through a programme of workshops focusing on de-stressing, resilience, loneliness and self-care
- Re:Lingo – providing support to asylum seekers to help them learn English, to make integration into British society and finding a job easier.
More success stories
Leading research into business and social enterprise
Our groundbreaking research centre operates right at the heart of the economy. It champions the prospects of small and medium sized enterprises and boosts regional and local economic development in the UK and internationally.
The UK is a thriving location for social enterprise. There are thousands of thoughtful and successful businesses that reinvest profits into social problems, communities, the environment and bettering people’s life chances. Since 2000, the academics and research students at the Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research (CEEDR) have worked at the forefront of research into this active sector.
Developing entrepreneurial ecosystems in higher education
We are part of the Entrepreneurial University Ecosystems research project commissioned by Research England to study best practice in this area. We reviewed and assessed literature around developing London’s ecosystem to develop a framework for future work. This project will lead to further research into the development of key sectors and elements of the Entrepreneurial University Ecosystem in London and potentially in other parts of the UK.
We want to hear from you
We have set the scene with some examples of the work we do in this area. We know this is not a complete list by any means, so now we are looking for your help.
Help us enhance our reputation and build up a better picture of activity by sharing examples of your work and from outside Middlesex.
More on our themes
Find out more about the themes and help us to build up a picture of work around them.
Healthy lives, thriving society >
Environment and sustainability >
Engage with our strategy
Want to share more detail or files with us? We are very keen to hear more.
Email us at [email protected]