冈本视频

The Crucible

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The Crucible Project is 冈本视频鈥檚 flagship business incubator that has help launch over 100 graduate businesses since its conception.鈥�

You might have seen some of our Crucible Project members on TV, such as Simon Sansome on Dragons Den, securing all five Dragons in a successful pitch for his business Snowball Community. Perhaps you might have seen Belinda King on the BBC series Make It at Market where she showcased her incredible glass blowing skills.鈥�

Masterclasses, workshops and mentoring provides a huge quantity of high-quality knowledge that include real-world and practicing experts in fields such as intellectual property (IP), start-up finance, marketing, web design and much more. The Crucible offers a comprehensive curriculum of education at zero cost to our members with the intention of helping them build skills, making informed choices and providing the foundations to building a successful business.

Applications close 15 July 2026

Apply now

 

  1. Key dates

    • Applications close: 15 July 2026
    • Video interviews take place from 27 July to 6 August 2026
    • Application results will be sent out on 7 August 2026
    • Programme starts on 30 September 2026

  2. What does the Crucible Programme consist of?

    The Crucible Project 2026/27 is a curriculum of 28 sessions of scheduled face-to-face content from September 2026 through to June 2027.

    Each Wednesday the Crucible will host an expert, at the Innovation Centre on 冈本视频 Campus, to deliver a face-to-face masterclass on a dedicated topic which has been specially designed for businesses at the early start-up stage.

    Alongside this each member will get access to a dedicated private co-working space at the Innovation Centre and access to the public co-working Cafe, Monday to Friday. Plus access (advanced booking) to our makerspaces and machinery where you can prototype and create your ideas and products.

    Block 1: Business Foundations

    • 30聽September: Induction聽Bootcamp聽1聽
    • 7聽October: Induction Bootcamp 2聽
    • 14聽October: Basics of Finance -聽Ellen聽O鈥橦ara聽聽
    • 21聽October: Content Break聽
    • 28聽October: Resilience in Business -聽Abigial Hall聽
    • 4聽November: Intellectual Property Basics -聽Gemma聽Ryan聽 聽
    • 11聽November: Branding Foundations聽鈥撀燬haron聽Jones 聽
    • 18聽November: Project Planning 聽
    • 25聽November: Utilising聽AI聽-聽Michelle聽Williams聽
    • 2聽December: Business Banking and Registration 聽聽
    • 9聽December: Web Templates聽鈥� Sharon Jones聽
    • 16聽December: Content Break 聽聽
    • 23聽December: Content Break 聽聽
    • 30聽December: Content Break

    Block 2: Building The Brand

    • 6聽January: Bootcamp 3
    • 13聽January: Managing Suppliers and Clients聽- S茅bastien de La聽Hamayde聽聽
    • 20聽January: Professional Marketing -聽Jenny Cross 聽
    • 27聽January: Social Media聽and Your Business -聽Mike Biagioni 聽
    • 3聽February: Intellectual Property聽Part聽2 -聽Gemma聽Ryan聽
    • 10聽February: Reviewing your Brand聽
    • 17聽February: Content Break聽聽
    • 24聽February Cyber Security 聽
    • 3聽March: Finances Continued -聽Ellen聽O鈥橦ara聽聽
    • 10聽March: TikTok Shops and Instagram Sales -聽Mike Biagioni聽
    • 17聽March: Website Launch聽-聽Sharon聽Jones聽
    • 24聽March: Content Break聽
    • 31聽March: Content Break聽
    • 7聽April: Content Break

    Block 3: Launch Readiness

    • 14聽April: Bootcamp 4聽聽
    • 21聽April: Diversification聽Moving聽Forward聽Ellen聽O鈥橦ara聽
    • 28聽April: The Mindset of Sales -聽Saroj聽Baines聽
    • 5聽May: Resilience in Business聽Part聽2 -聽Abigail Hall聽
    • 12聽May: Showcase Planning聽
    • 19聽May: Showcase Planning聽
    • 26聽May: Crucible Showcase 聽
    • 2聽June: Content Break聽
    • 9聽June: Bootcamp 5

  3. Is there any cost to be part of the Crucible project?

    The Crucible is Free for both Full members and Lite Members! That's right, the programme is funded by HEIF (The Height Education Innovation Fund) which allows 冈本视频 to provide expertise, office space and some start-up funding support to our members; although, the Crucible is not a source of capital investment. Take a look below to learn more ("What funding support is available?").

  4. What are the membership options?

  5. What funding support is available?

    For 2026/27, The crucible can offer each of our Full Members up to 拢1,000 of support!鈥�

    We have made access to funding easier and are taking on more entrepreneurs than ever before.鈥� Each business will be gifted a free website, hosted and managed by Kangaroo UK, with 12 months of fees paid for at a value of 拢300. Kangaroo UK will help you build your brand and your website through our masterclasses and providing 12 months of support from our launch date.鈥�

    Additionally, up to a 拢700 budget can be unlocked simply thorough engagement in the programmme which can be spent on registering your business, prototyping, merch, marketing and removing barriers!

    Some restrictions apply.

  6. When will I find out if I am on the programme?

    Confirmation of programme acceptance will be on 7 August. Applications are now open however you will not receive a response until after applications close on 15 July, where you will be invited to a 20-minute video interview on the weeks of 27 July and 3 August. If you are successful with your video interview you will be notified on 7 August 2026 to start the programme on 30 September.

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Contact us

Address:
The Innovation Centre
49 Oxford Street
Leicester

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