A young woman receives a certificate from another woman at an event

Launch your ideas

Have an idea for a business, a freelance career or a project of your own? At Middlesex University's new Launchpad, you can build the skills, confidence and connections to turn it into action.

The Launchpad

Turn your ideas into action at the Launchpad

The Launchpad is the home of enterprise, freelance work and innovation at Middlesex. It’s a place to explore ideas, develop business skills and meet people who can help you move forward, from fellow students and alumni to mentors and industry partners.

You don’t need a business plan to get started. Whether your idea is fully formed or just taking shape, we’ll help you develop it during your degree and after you graduate.

Starting something of your own is also a great way to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, one of the MDX Graduate Competencies employers value.

The Launchpad

A space to work and connect

  • Coworking space and community café: a welcoming place to work on your own, collaborate informally and meet new contacts.
  • Meeting rooms and Innovation Zone: dedicated spaces to brainstorm, solve problems and develop ideas, on your own or as a team.

You’ll find the Launchpad in the Aroma Café (room SB17), Sheppard Library on our Hendon campus.

Three Business students working in a cafe
Enterprise in numbers

Enterprise at Middlesex in numbers

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Top 50 in Europe

for entrepreneurs (Pitchfork 2025)

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£90k

in start-up support awarded to students since 2019

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1,000+

employer connections in London and globally

Support from idea to launch

From idea to launch

Meet people, share skills and try out ideas with others.

  • Skills Swap: a student-led community where you can share your skills, learn new ones and meet potential co-founders. Register with MDXSU.
  • Enactus MDX: a student society where you can use enterprise to tackle real social and environmental challenges. Join Enactus MDX.
  • Events and workshops: test your ideas, build your skills and grow your network throughout the year. 

Get expert advice to shape your idea and plan your next steps.

  • Mentor Directory: connect with experienced professionals, entrepreneurs, alumni and industry experts who can share guidance and insight
  • Specialist clinics: free, confidential advice from our Tax and Accounting Clinic and free legal advice from our Legal Advice Clinic, plus marketing support
  • One-to-one coaching: tailored guidance to help you plan your next steps.
  • Digital Support Hub: online tools, resources and guidance from our industry partners, including Barclays Eagle Labs, Santander Academy, Enterprise Enfield and Gov Business Academy.

Ready to go further? Test your idea, pitch it and find funding.

  • What's Your Big Idea: a structured programme that takes you from first idea to business proposal, with workshops, mentoring and the chance to pitch for funding.
  • Pitch competitions: put your idea in front of a panel, get feedback and compete for prizes.
  • Funding: find grants, loans and crowdfunding to help you start or grow your idea.

You can combine all of this with placements, internships and live briefs and paid part-time work on campus, so you graduate with experience alongside your degree.

Wherever you’re starting from, there’s support at every stage from the Careers and Futures Team.

Email Careers and Futures

Student stories

Student stories and experiences

A MDX MBA student in a white shirt stands holding a certificate on the second floor balcony of the Quad What's Your Big Idea £5000 first prize unlocked by property tech business SafeKey
Students and a tutor in a computing classroom Innovating the future campus: reflections from the Middlesex Hackathon
Lorena Tolic, founder and CEO of Marketer Agency, Middlesex MSc in Digital Marketing graduate How Middlesex helped me launch my digital marketing agency
Student from Games Design at Middlesex work Game Design Graduate Builds Career in Hong Kong's Games Industry

There’s always something happening at the Launchpad to support your business ideas. Join events, workshops and competitions throughout the year to test your ideas, build your skills and meet people who can help you go further.

A young smartly-dressed man presents to camera in front of a sign
What's on

What's on at the Launchpad

Skills Swap Share a skill, learn a new one and meet potential co-founders. Thursdays, 2.00pm to 3.00pm: 15 October, 5 November, 19 November and 3 December 2026. Aroma Café, Sheppard Library Register with MDXSU
Pitch Your Project Pitch your creative, tech, business, research or community idea for the chance to win a share of the £500 prize pot. Entries closed at 11.59pm (GMT), 25 October 2026.  
What’s Your Big Idea Workshops, mentoring and the chance to pitch for funding. No business plan needed to apply. Applications open November 2026 Find out more
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