FOR ALL ENTREPRENEURS

Discover the driving force behind CityVentures.
Learn about our mission, values, and the team dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs.

Our vision

Transforming Ideas into Impact

We think learning entrepreneurship is much more than building a business, it's about developing a mindset of curiosity, creativity and determination and building the lifelong skills of problem solving and adaptability.

What someone learns trying to build a startup will benefit their life and career trajectory, regardless of whether they become a founder.

But today's startup education isn't as inclusive as it should be – with socio-economic barriers like access to capital and connections, and cultural stereotypes around who can become a founder often shutting talented people out before they've even started.

We believe the founder mindset is a powerful tool that needs to be distributed equally, that people from all walks of life should be able to benefit from these valuable skills and try their hand at entrepreneurship.

And that means the London startup ecosystem is losing out on untapped potential, fresh ideas and a wave of unrealised ventures.

So we've designed our programmes to break down the barriers to getting started, providing tailored support and encouragement at each step, from getting curious about entrepreneurship to building a business and beyond.

And we're on a mission to make learning startup skills accessible to anyone.

our team

Meet the team

Ralph La Fontaine

Elbert Salim

Vyvyen De-Veer

Lamiyah Sultan

Hatidzhe Mehmed

Gabriella Kisoi

Sarah Worth

Fatema Chowdhury

Our alliance

The CityVentures Alliance

The City Ventures Alliance is a group of organisations with a bold ambition to change the startup ecosystem in London and the UK, by improving social mobility and entrepreneurship.

We will do this by taking a founder-centred approach and joining the dots across our collective networks, expertise, infrastructure and talent to ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs is truly diverse and supported every step of the way.

The City of London Corporation is committed to empowering small businesses through comprehensive support. As part of the City Corporation's SME Strategy, access to critical resources and networks such as access to finance, business data, workspace, and expert mentoring are offered to help small businesses overcome some of their barriers to growth. With a focus on fostering growth, diversity, and innovation, the City Corporation helps start-ups and small businesses navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship. By providing targeted support, it ensures that the City remains a vibrant and inclusive hub for startups and growing enterprises. The City of London Corporation is delighted to be part of the City Ventures Alliance as it aligns with the key ambitions outlined in their SME Strategy.

City of London

It’s important that we make use of the talents of all sections of our society, and that no-one is held back by their background. Breaking down barriers to entrepreneurial opportunities for those from disadvantaged backgrounds is a win-win for those young people, for their communities, and for economic growth more generally.”

The Sutton Trust

The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists (WCIT) has four pillars that provide a foundation for our activity; Industry, Charity, Education and Fellowship. Within the Entrepreneurship Panel our focus is on providing opportunities for our members to educate, incubate, network and inspire the IT Entrepreneurs and Leaders of today and the Future in support of fellowship and our charities. The City Ventures Alliance provides a great opportunity for the WCIT to provide high tech industry insight, experience and expertise to support the aims of the Alliance.

WCIT

Our Workspaces

Innovation havens

Discover inspiring environments to fuel your creativity and productivity. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur or a growing start-up we have the the perfect place to bring your ideas to life

Learn more

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Not sure it's for you? Reach out to our team

City, University of London R401, Franklin Building 124 Goswell Road London, EC1V 7DP

Our programmes

Company