Free stalls for designer/makers at Welcome Weekend
There’s an opportunity available for current students and recent graduates have a free stand at the DMU Welcome Weekend (Saturday 20th September) to promote your business or side-hustle. It should be a really busy event just before Freshers, so you could potentially engage a lot of people.
If you are interested, please apply for a stand below no later than 5pm on Sunday 14th September, 2025.
Further information
Providing weather conditions are ok your stand would be outside, if not you would be moved inside.
Here is a description of the welcome weekend from the DMU Events Page:
Welcome Weekend Day 1
Where: DMU Campus, Outside the Food Village, Library and VJP Building
When: 20 Sep 2025, 11:00 – 20 Sep 2025, 16:00 (you must be available all day and set-up prior the event starting).
Description: Kickstart your DMU journey with a high-energy festival right on campus! Expect buzzing street performers, colourful face painting, outdoor games, and a mouth-watering selection of food vendors. Explore fun, interactive stalls from your student support services, the DMU Surgery, and local partners — all here to help you settle in and get the most out of your uni life. Whether you're just arriving or already exploring, this is your go-to welcome experience. Come along, make new friends, grab some freebies, and soak up the festival vibes, it's the perfect way to start your DMU adventure!
Application Form
If you would like to have the opportunity to have a stand, please complete the form below.
Free Future Freelancers programme
Whether you’re keen to make money alongside your studies or have aspirations to be your own boss in the future, you can sign up to this year’s Future Freelancers programme which runs on Wednesdays from the end of October.
10 Years of Connect: Join us at our anniversary event
DMU Made celebrate the 10th anniversary of ‘Connect’, the long-running guest speaker and networking event, designed to bring together students, graduates, staff and members of the public who have an interest in freelancing, startups and entrepreneurship.
This special event will reflect on a decade of events, and they’ll be some guest speakers sharing their own entrepreneurial journeys, too.
The event takes place Tuesday 28 October, 5 - 7.30pm on campus.
Register for your free place, here.
Pitch2Win up to £2000!
We’re giving students and recent graduates (individuals who have graduated in the last two years) the opportunity to win up to £2,000 in our annual Pitch2Win competition. To enter, you’ll need to record a 60 second video in which you detail your business idea via this Shortlister link no later than 5pm on Tuesday 9 September 2025.
In addition to your video, please provide your full name and P number.
Successful applicants will need to be available on Tuesday 7 October to attend a pitch day, where they will deliver a pitch to a panel of experts. 3 pitchers will then be chosen to deliver their pitch in the grand final, which will be held on 10th February, 2026 at an early evening Awards event (5.30pm - 7pm on campus).
It doesn’t matter what stage your business is at, it could just be an idea or it could be up and running.
Good luck!
Make Space: Work from the DMU Made Studio
Do you have a creative side-project? Looking for a space to work, sew, design, create? You can find this space on the first floor of the Kimberlin Library. Find out more here.
Are you already running a business/side-hustle or working freelance?
Please tell us about it here, and we’ll get in touch with details of how we can help you.
You can also nominate yourself or somebody deserving in this year’s DMU Freelancing and Entrepreneurship Awards.
Pitch2Win Monthly
Your business idea could win you £100 and if it’s really good, you could be entered into our final later in the year for the chance to win £1000 or more! Weekly pitching rounds will are now taking place. All you have to do to enter is go to my-gateway.dmu.ac.uk and book a pitching slot!
DMUmade PopUps
We've teamed up with DSU to host a new, daily opUp Shop located in the SUsupplies Shop on the Ground Floor of the Campus Centre. Students who make their own products can apply for a free stall by emailing Andrew Reynolds. PopUp Shops are open on Mondays between 10am and 4pm.
Email opportunities@dsu.ac.uk to express an interest in having a stall.
ONGOING SUPPORT
A reminder that any student or graduate can receive one to one support, whether they have an existing business or would just like to know how to go about starting one.
One-to-ones are offered face to face and on line and can be booked via MyGateway or dmumade.com.
Further drop-in support and workspace will soon be available via the new Careers Hub in Hugh Aston.
