Business Incubator Programme

Join our RDSBL Business Incubator Programme, designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage ventures to develop their business

Register your Interest

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Join our RDSBL Business Incubator Programme, designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs, start-ups, and early-stage ventures to develop their business

Register your Interest

Start date

Late September 2026

Duration

6 week course

Learning mode

2 x In person cohorts between January  and July

1x Online cohort in September 

RDSBL Business Incubator Programme: Nurturing Startups and Entrepreneurs

Our  Business Incubator Programme is designed to nurture startups and entrepreneurs from ideation to market entry. We provide mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to help develop and launch business concepts (social or commercial).

The programme is delivered in-person as well as online and is open to current students, alumni and local early-stage businesses.  

It is free to attend.  

Delivered by the Royal Docks School of Business and Law.

Our Impact 

    • 27

      27

      Existing SMEs supported

    • 50+

      50+

      Mentoring hours delivered

    • 11

      11

      New companies created

    • 540k

      540k

      Funding secured

    Why to join

    As a part of the programme, participants have access to:

    • Practical workshops
    • One-to-one mentoring support
    • Connect with other business support organisations.
    • An opportunity to showcase and pitch their business concept in front of special guests and business support community. for a chance to win various prizes, including access to a workspace (sponsored by the RDCS)
    • Networking events  

    What do people say?

    Elsi Ocran, Founder & CEO, GGlow says: 

    "RDSBL Business Incubator Programme provided invaluable mentorship, practical guidance, and strategic support that helped me refine my business focus and strengthen my growth plans. Through Liam Keogh’s mentorship, I successfully secured new trading outlets and gained confidence to pursue further expansion opportunities. The programme’s encouragement, expertise, and constructive feedback played a significant role in supporting the continued development of my business" 

    Rahma Farah, Founder and Director Prospering Minds Consultancy Ltd. says:

    "From the very beginning of the programme, I genuinely felt as though I had joined a new professional family. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, warm, and generous with their expertise, both during the programme and afterwards through the additional 1:1 business mentoring sessions.

    The guidance and encouragement I received have been instrumental in helping me progress my business from a sole trader to a registered limited company. With your support, I now have a clear strategy to scale the business further, and this milestone would not have been possible without the insight and mentorship offered through the programme"

    Case Studies

    Explore the journeys of entrepreneurs who have participated in our programmes and discover how they have applied their learning to grow their ventures, overcome challenges, and achieve meaningful milestones.

    • Meet Sam Ikhuoria

      Sam Ikhuoria joined the RDSBL Business Incubator to strengthen his entrepreneurial skills and has since applied those learnings to develop NPareil, a health-focused fragrance venture focused on transparency and wellbeing.

    • Meet Rahma Farah

      Rahma Farah joined the RDSBL Business Incubator to strengthen and scale Prospering Minds Consultancy, a values-driven business that provides behaviour and sleep support for neurodivergent children.

    • Meet Sibaji Dey Choudhury

      Mathletico is a gamified maths learning platform with 250,000+ downloads, helping users build practical numeracy skills. The RDSBL Business Incubator supported its growth, strategy, and partnerships.

    Our facilitators

    • Yuliana Topazly updated staff profile

      Associate Professor

      Yuliana Topazly updated staff profile

      Dr Yuliana Topazly

      Associate Professor

      Dr Yuliana Topazly is an Associate Professor of Enterprise and Innovation, an Award-Winning Social Entrepreneur and an Experienced Business Adviser. In 2016, Yuliana was named ‘Top 100 Most Inspiring Mentors in the UK’; she was mentioned in the WISE 2020 List: ‘100 Social Enterprise Leaders Showing COVID, who is the Boss! Most recently was awarded an MBE for the Services to Business and Female Entrepreneurship.

    • Dr Daniel Hall looking at the camera, smiling

      Senior Lecturer

      Dr Daniel Hall looking at the camera, smiling

      Dr. Daniel Hall

      Senior Lecturer

      With over 20 years of work experience in corporates (management consulting and investment banking) and start-ups within the financial services industry, Dr Daniel Hall is a Senior Lecturer in Strategic Marketing Practice. He is teaching on the Doctor of Business Administration programme and conducting research in the area of Entrepreneurship.

    • Professional headshot of a smiling man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a dark button-up shirt against a plain light background.

      Entrepreneur in Residence

      Professional headshot of a smiling man with dark hair and a beard, wearing a dark button-up shirt against a plain light background.

      Liam Keogh

      Entrepreneur in Residence

      Liam Keogh is an entrepreneur and communications specialist with nearly 20 years’ experience in business growth, marketing, and public relations. He co-founded and scaled an award-winning PR agency into a seven-figure business and has advised organisations ranging from start-ups to global brands.

      As Entrepreneur in Residence, he supports founders and SME leaders across the Business Incubator Programme and the Help to Grow Management Course, focusing on communication, positioning, and strategic growth.

    • Professional headshot of a smiling woman with curly red hair and glasses, wearing a cream blazer over a green top against a dark background.

      External Enterprise Expert and Facilitator

      Professional headshot of a smiling woman with curly red hair and glasses, wearing a cream blazer over a green top against a dark background.

      Kaitlin Fritz

      External Enterprise Expert and Facilitator

      Kaitlin Fritz is an enterprise educator and EdTech entrepreneur, recognised in Forbes 30 Under 30, who has supported over 400 student entrepreneurs through programme design and delivery across higher education.

      Her work spans incubation, acceleration, mentoring, and experiential enterprise education, delivered in collaboration with universities and not-for-profit organisations.

      As an external expert consultant to RDSBL Startup Gateway Services, Kaitlin supports the delivery of the Business Incubator Programme, contributing to its founder-led, practice-based approach and the development of early-stage ventures.

    • Professional headshot of a man wearing glasses, a white dress shirt, and a black blazer, looking at the camera indoors with a softly blurred background and warm lighting

      Events Operations Lead | Programme Support

      Professional headshot of a man wearing glasses, a white dress shirt, and a black blazer, looking at the camera indoors with a softly blurred background and warm lighting

      Mario Alves MIH

      Events Operations Lead | Programme Support

      Mario Alves MIH is responsible for the operational delivery of the Business Incubator Programme and the Help to Grow Management Course at RDSBL Startup Gateway Services. He oversees end-to-end programme execution, including logistics, stakeholder coordination, and live delivery, ensuring structured, high-quality experiences for both early-stage founders and SME leaders.

    1:55

    RDSBL Business Incubator Final Enterprise Showcase

    The RDSBL Business Incubator Final Enterprise Showcase brought together student entrepreneurs to present their ventures as part of the RDSBL Enterprise & Sport Festival at the University of East London.

    Frequently asked questions

    Who is this course for?

    The programme is open to current students, alumni and local early-stage businesses. 

    Why should I get involved?

    The programme offers:

    • Opportunities to develop your ideas in a safe environment with the support of a mentor and industry experts.
    • Access 1-2-1 mentorship support
    • Connect with other business support organisations.
    • Pitch your business to a panel of judges for a chance to win various prizes, including access to a workspace (sponsored by the RDCS)

    Is there a cost to the programme?

    No, the RDSBL Business Incubator Programme is free to attend.

    Download our Impact Report

    Our partners

    MSDUK Logo
    London & Partners red font logo
    Heart of the City text logo purple background
    Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability text logo dark background
    Newham Council logo
    Newham Business logo
    Tech UK Business logo

    Register or find out more

    Register Your Interest 

    For further information, please email the Programme Director at y.topazly@uel.ac.uk