The Crucible

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The Crucible is an entrepreneurship programme for DMU graduates and alumni who have an idea, product or service and require support to turn it into a business.

Since its launch 10 years ago, The Crucible has helped more than 100 DMU final year students, graduates and alumni to launch or grow their businesses in fields as diverse as gamification, digital marketing, sustainable fashion and artisan design.

Start-ups nurtured by Crucible have gone on to win international business competitions, be featured in Vogue and the BBC, and leverage millions in investment funding. Join the Crucible and you will have your own work space at DMU, receive mentoring and project management support and have masterclasses with our team of industry experts to help you grow your business.

Applications for Crucible have now closed but do look out for networking sessions free to attend at the Innovation Centre.

We’ve expanded: Our award winning The Crucible programme now available nationally.

If you’ve just launched a business and need some support to grow The Crucible: Business Start-up programme is now available from the comfort of your home. Benefit from: 8 remote masterclasses on subjects such as Finance, IP, Marketing, The Art of Selling; 4 hours of 1:1 tailored support; Peer learning sessions.

Find out more

 

  1. Contact the Crucible Project team

    DMU's Director of MBA Programmes Percy Emmett is always on hand to answer your questions and talk about your next big business idea, or the opportunities on offer with the Crucible. Please email your questions to crucible@dmu.ac.uk.

  2. Get involved – become a mentor

    The Crucible is always on the lookout for people interested in becoming one of our Crucible mentors. Mentors invest their time by sharing their experiences and knowledge to inspire members to succeed. Mentors aren't professional business advisors and aren't expected to be. They are knowledgeable professionals with experience in a specific industry. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please email crucible@dmu.ac.uk.

  3. Crucible masterclasses

    Crucible offers masterclasses in business essentials including marketing, finance, intellectual property law, copywriting and growth management.

    Each session is delivered by a businessperson who is an expert in their area, and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share.

    If you’d like further information on Crucible masterclasses, contact crucible@dmu.ac.uk.

Read our latest blog posts

Can’t I just use AI to write my content? What’s wrong with that?

31 January 2025

Don’t get us wrong – artificial intelligence (AI) is a great tool. It is so fast, posting up hundreds of words in the blink of an eye and creating more lists than you can shake a stick at. But do you know what it isn’t? Personal.

3 reasons why you need intellectual property as a microbusiness

06 January 2025

If you are a start-up business, chances are you are classed as a microbusiness – which is defined as companies with 10 employees or less and a turnover of £632,000 a year. If you are busy working all the hours to get going, looking at your intellectual property might be last on your list to do. But if you are asking yourself ‘do I need IP if I’m a microbusiness?’ the answer is a resounding “YES”, says intellectual property expert Gemma Ryan.

Read more from our blog

How DMU's Crucible Project helped Lead Balloon turn their idea into a business

Hear from a Crucible mentor

We caught up with Gillian from InspiringWords at her recent copywriting workshop, offered for free as part of The Crucible.

Embrace change

Benefit from change workshops, teaching businesses to harness change to reach new highs.

Branding and logos masterclass

Hear from Cristian Zuzunaga at his Crucible session, where he shared expertise on branding and logo design.

Alison's Going for Growth masterclass

We caught up with Alison from Think D Ltd (thinkd.co.uk) at her recent Crucible masterclass, focusing on business growth and supporting entrepreneurs

Twenty years of building sustainable businesses

Hear from Ellen as she talks about her workshop helping creative entrepreneurs improve their work.

Thomas McQuade's masterclass

Thomas McQuade talks about his accountancy masterclass and the key skills participants can build on.