Community Groups and Meetups
Leicester Co-working – a community of startups & freelancers who organise regular co-working meetups.
Startup Cafe – Popular startup themed University of Leicester event for both students and non-students held during Autumn and Spring terms.
Cake Friday – Informal innovation themed University of Leicester event bringing together students, academics, small businesses and business leaders for an open day 10-4 the last Friday of every month.
Angels & Startups – Bringing together Business Angels and Startups from the Midlands to network, find common ground and collaborate in innovative projects.
Leicester Lean Startups – A meetup group dedicated to learning and practising Lean Startup methodology (quickly building products and customer bases though fast build-measure-learn iteration loops)
Startup-up DMU – De Montfort University’s is a technology focused business society at the Leicester Business School.
Digital Startups – Regular evening meetups for startup entrepreneurs.
Creative Coffee Leicester – A fortnightly meet-up for creative people and those looking to meet creatives.
Venues
Incubate Leicester – Leicester’s first dedicated incubator, accelerator and co-working space for startups.
Dock – Leicester’s new hub for high tech, low carbon and innovative businesses.
DMU Innovation Centre – A launch-pad for student, graduate and staff businesses which are either innovative by nature of their products or services or can demonstrate innovative working practises.
LCB Depot – Creative hub at the heart of Leicester’s Cultural Quarter. A place where creative businesses can flourish.
Phoenix – Houses workspaces, an independent cinema, cafe bar, gallery and apartments. The LCB Depot team manage 29 creative workspaces, a business lounge and postal address service at Phoenix.
Funding, Mentoring & Advice
NBV – A provider of advice, information and resources which pre-start individuals and small businesses require to be successful.
LLEP Business Gateway – A one stop shop for information about and access to available business support throughout Leicester and Leicestershire.
The Bank of TMC – An initiative that provides bespoke business start-up support to creative young people aged 16 to 25 years old.
Sir Thomas White Loan Charity – Interest free startup loans for 18-44 year olds in Leicestershire and Rutland
Harry James Riddleston Charity – Interest free business loans for 21-35 year olds in Leicestershire an Rutland
Technology Strategy Board – UK government innovation agency providing funding and support to innovators.
Investors
Tech Finance – Tech Finance specialises in working with technology company entrepreneurs to achieve high growth in shareholder value.
Business Services
Howes Percival – Solictors firm with specialisms in intellectual property and corporate law.
Serjeants – Leicester-based patent and trademark attorneys
Ekonomia – Consultants helping startups build using lean methodology.
Voice Brand Design – Branding, marketing communications, graphic design, digital and web agency. Designers of Leicester Tech Startups website!
Ultimateweb – Web and mobile app development agency specialising in partnerships and joint ventures with startups and graphic design agencies.
DS-Cubed – Student-led software development agency at De Montfort University
Blogs and Sites Worth Following
Brad Feld – Venture capitalist and startup communities evangelist.
Eric Reis – Silicon Valley entrepreneur and author recognized for pioneering the Lean Startup movement.
Steve Blank – Silicon Valley serial-entrepreneur and academician who is recognized for developing the customer development methodology which launched the Lean Startup movement.
Seth Godin – Marketing and leadership egghead.
Traction Stack – Curated directory of marketing resources from the authors of the Traction book.