Student Founder Showcase 2026

SOLD OUT 🚨

Join the Waitlist

This event is currently fully booked, but places may become available if attendees cancel their tickets. Join the waitlist and you will be contacted if a ticket becomes available. Tickets will be offered in the order that people join the waitlist. 🎟️

Be inspired by the next generation of founders 🚀

The University of Southampton’s annual celebration of student entrepreneurship and innovation. Hear inspiring founder stories, build valuable connections and discover the support available to help bring your ideas to life.

Event Details

📅 Thursday 1 October 2026

📍 Turner Sims, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton

🕔 Doors Open: 17:15 (event starts at 18:00)

🎟️ Currently Sold Out

Join the waitlist to be notified if tickets become available due to cancellations.

🤝 Networking Reception Included

What is the Student Founder Showcase?

The Student Founder Showcase is the University of Southampton’s annual celebration of student entrepreneurship and innovation. It shines a light on every entrepreneurial pathway, from freelancers and social changemakers to small-business owners and high-growth tech start-ups, proving that innovation is open to all disciplines and career goals.

Discover how 10 weeks of guidance, funding and a city-centre base helped our Foundership cohort turn ideas into real-world ventures. Being based in the city puts founders close to Southampton’s business community, opening doors to advice, testing opportunities and local customers.

Whether you’re a student with the spark of an idea, a member of staff championing enterprise, an external partner keen to give back, or a curious member of the public, this is your chance to connect, learn and collaborate.

What To Expect ✨

🚀 Founder Stories

Hear from student founders and graduates who have turned ideas into reality.

🎤 Headline Speaker

Gain insights from an accomplished entrepreneur and learn from their journey.

🤝 Networking Opportunities

Connect with students, alumni, founders, businesses and entrepreneurial support organisations.

💡 Support & Opportunities

Discover funding, mentoring, workspace and startup support available through Student Enterprise.

🌱 Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Meet the people and organisations helping to drive innovation across Southampton and beyond.

🎤Meet Our Headline Speaker

Tom Foster-Carter is a serial entrepreneur behind businesses worth more than $5 billion and co-founded Cherrypick, an AI-powered grocery shopping assistant on a mission to help people make healthier and more sustainable food choices. Before founding Cherrypick, Tom helped scale Monzo from an ambitious startup to one of the UK’s most recognisable fintech brands, growing its customer base to 4 million and leading a customer support team that expanded from 30 to 1,000 people in just three years. He also co-founded Curve and was Founding COO of Osper, helping shape the future of digital banking. Alongside building high-growth businesses, Tom has championed diversity in tech through the All In initiative and advised the UK Government on the digital economy. His journey offers an honest and insightful look at scaling startups, navigating challenges, and balancing entrepreneurship with life beyond work.

🚀 Powered by the Foundership Scheme

£3,000 in equity-free prize funding (thanks to generous alumni donors)
10-week summer accelerator with mentors, workshops & peer learning
Dedicated desks at the city-centre Student Enterprise Junction

The Showcase is where you’ll see the progress – and the potential – up close.

Exclusively for University of Southampton students and recent graduates!

“The Foundership programme was brilliant. It provided me time, resources, funding, skills and office space to work on my start-up all of summer. I would have had to get a job and not been able to commit as much time as I did without it.” – Samuel Aaron, mytender.io

Ready to join us?

Whether you’re exploring an idea, building a business, or simply curious about entrepreneurship, the Student Founder Showcase is your opportunity to be inspired and make new connections.

Join the Waitlist

📍 Plan your visit

Venue: Turner Sims
Address: Building 52, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, SO17 1BJ
Directions & transport: Turner Sims – Getting Here
Accessibility: Fully accessible theatre; please contact us for specific requirements.

Seats are limited – if your plans change, please update your booking so another attendee can join.

Under 18? Please email the team so we can make appropriate arrangements.

Questions? Email the Student Enterprise Team at [email protected]