LUinc.
Loughborough University’s business incubator
Loughborough University’s business incubator
LUinc. is Loughborough University’s business incubator. Our mission is to nurture ambitious and innovative businesses - from both on and off campus.
We bring together academic and graduate entrepreneurs with emerging business founders from across Leicestershire and beyond.
Ours is a rich, inclusive and supportive start-up community.
LUinc. provides the training, resources and connections you need to establish, grow and succeed - with a number of free benefits on offer.
Our unique community offers everything from investor and collaborator connections to cutting-edge research and facilities.
There’s also the opportunity of a seamless transition to dedicated grow-on space in our neighbouring Advanced Technology Innovation Centre.
Founding a business is hard work.
Being around other people on the same journey can help.
Our vibrant start-up environment is made up of a community of graduate start-ups, spinouts led by researchers, and business founders who join us from outside the University campus.
LUinc. members work on a wide range of business solutions covering many products and services, but they tend to have certain things in common:
An early-stage business focussed on innovative products or services
Big ambitions for their businesses to grow and scale
Wanting a supportive environment with access to training, coaching and mentoring
Searching for a welcoming space to learn alongside fellow entrepreneurs
Experimenting; wanting help with testing markets or developing prototypes
Open to benefiting from University research and development projects
Our expert support works across most sectors. However, we also offer specialised help to start-ups developing businesses in:
Sports technology
Energy, climate change and Net Zero
Design engineering
Our Studio accelerator helps establish and grow start-ups run by University students, post-grads and PhDs.
Our Wayfinder accelerator scales start-up and scale-up businesses from across Leicestershire.
Our sport-specific support matches global pre-launch and emerging start-ups with Loughborough’s world-leading sports ecosystem and facilities.
Don’t fall into any of the categories above? LUinc. offers three levels of paid membership for entrepreneurs who aim to limit costs as they test ideas and launch businesses. You can become a member for as little as £50 for a month.
Our flexible memberships, affordable prices and access to world-class facilities make us a great way of seeing if you can scale your side project or new business.
Everything you need to launch a thriving business
At LUinc. we look after all your physical workspace needs and tailor a support package to help you build a thriving new business. But we don’t stop there. LUinc. offers you so much more than a place to work.
Graduate consumer electronics start-up
"Tzuka is a true Loughborough collaboration with input from the University's enterprise, engineering and sport communities. The invaluable connections LUinc. has provided helped us succeed in raising our first investment during the Covid-19 pandemic. I couldn't have dreamed of a better launch pad. This autumn, we aim to raise further investment and grow the business in LUSEP's ATIC."
Graduate manufacturing start-up
"The Studio (graduate start-up programme) has given me a dedicated place to work from and I'm surrounded by other people in a similar situation to myself who are launching their own businesses. It's also provided a separate place in which to keep my 3D printers and this is key to being able to prototype and continue product development."
Academic Insurtech spinout
"Peer advice and business support gave us invaluable short cuts to the practicalities of business start-up, so we could focus on getting investment ready. The availability of extra space for short periods meant we could hire in extra staff to reach critical milestones. We simply wouldn’t have made so much progress without this supportive and flexible environment."
Organisation development consultancy
"It’s easy to lose focus working from home. Being in the right workplace can mean you’re more productive and you can seek help when you get stuck."
LUinc. businesses secure patents, get funded, create jobs and win awards. Put simply, LUinc. supports businesses to succeed.