Student Start-ups

Explore our network and be inspired from fellow University of Sheffield entrepreneurs. We believe that being enterprising is the key to success and will empower the next generation to positively transform our world.

Rivelin Rail - How an alumni start-up is shaping rail safety worldwide.

Rivelin Rail’s friction-measuring tech is deployed in more than 11 countries. Discover how Emerge helped Ben to go from Sheffield PhD to managing a Global Scale-Up.

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View all our Awards Showcase Winning Businesses

Community News

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ZigPath Education: Designing Support for the supporters

ZigPath began with my mother’s journey from teaching assistant to teacher. It showed me how much knowledge and potential support staff bring to schools, but also how easily their development can become scattered across informal conversations and disconnected records. I’m building ZigPath Education to make that development clearer, more connected and easier for schools to act on.

We started supp because health shouldn't be complicated.

From seeds to store: How the Start-up culture is creating jobs for graduates

Olivia struggled to find work in the NHS after graduating, so started Supp, an evidence-based supplement brand, from her flat in Kelham Island. Find out how she grew the business from seed to store.

Kaleido Arts: A Social Enterprise Using Creativity to Heal Trauma

Katherine recognises that trauma and mental health issues affect people from all walks of life. She therefore dedicates her time providing opportunities for people to experience freedom and joy through creativity. Find out how Katherine set up a Community Interest Company and the positive impact it's having on the Sheffield community.

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Moving towards success! MoveCritic wins international IEEE Conference

Encouraged by their success of becoming finalists in the recent Emerge Awards Showcase, the health app start-up is making waves within the global IEEE community. Hear from the team about their recent activity.

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Marv's Mission: Rewarding Healthy Eating for First-Year Students

First year students gain weight at a faster rate than the general population. Marv is on a mission to create a reward framework for improving nutrition. Learn more about how he is developing his new business app and the support he's gained from Emerge: Be enterprising.

Female graduate alumna laughing with co-founder

Alumna Revolutionises Healthtech Business Support

fsub is a regulatory platform that helps early-stage spinouts bring healthtech (SaMD) and medical devices to market faster. Learn how a University of Sheffield alumna started a business after a career in product management.

Business team presenting at the awards showcase in front of crowd

Emerging Inventors: Winners of the summer creators grant revealed

A trio of talented students have been awarded £1000 each to develop their innovative ideas into tangible business products or services.

Charlie with some of her sustainable products

Where are they now? Charlie Gill

Charlie studied Law at Sheffield, but after graduating decided to take her life and career in a whole new direction. Find out how she made the move to work in the environmental sector, how her degree helped with setting up her own business, and her highlights from living in Sheffield.

Credit: German Ucar

Inspiring international student awarded prestigious Chancellor’s Medal

An inspiring international student has been awarded the prestigious Chancellor’s Medal from the University of Sheffield for her exceptional work for Women in business, championing inclusivity, and driving global sustainability.

From Driver to Disruptor: How Alumna Ami Jerger is leading the UK's First All-Female Karting Team

Meet Ami Jerger, the trailblazing alumna who is reshaping the industry with AJ Racing, the UK's first all-female owner-driver karting team. Read on to discover how Ami is providing crucial opportunities for women in motorsport, accelerating her career as a founder, and changing the face of the sport one race at a time.

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Small studio, big dream - Establishing a Photography Studio in Sheffield

Sheffield Alumni, Jimmy Wong and Amus Tse have crafted their creative talents into a successful business in the heart of the city. The dui are chasing their photography dream by providing professional photography services to customers. Find out how it all started.

Sustainably Building the Future: Announcing the 2025 Alumni Showdown Winner

Congratulations to RE:NEW! A B2B construction platform built to turn one-off reuse into repeatable practice. Winners of the first Alumni Business Showdown competition by Emerge: Be enterprising.

An example of a hydroponics growing system to grow crops like lettuce, it shows rows of plants being grown on shelves.

Future Greens: graduates secure six-figure investment for vertical farming revolution

A group of recent University of Sheffield graduates are set to transform the world of vertical farming after securing a six figure investment for their sustainable startup.