The National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs (NACUE, formerly the National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs) is a grassroots charity that stimulates enterprise by supporting, connecting and representing enterprise societies, enterprising students and student entrepreneurs in Colleges and Universities across the UK. Founded in 2008 by Victoria Lennox (former President of Oxford Entrepreneurs) during a meeting of 12 leading enterprise society presidents, and launched in May 2009, NACUE now engages over 70 enterprise societies across the UK, supports over 100 colleges and universities in stimulating student-led activity and represents the view of over 40,000 enterprising students to policy makers in all levels of government, industry and education.
NACUE aims to:
- support the sustainable development of student-led enterprise societies and student ventures;
- inspire, educate and train enterprise society leaders and student entrepreneurs;
- connect enterprise society leaders and student entrepreneurs online and in person; and,
- advocate for the increased support of student-led enterprise initiatives at individual colleges and universities, and at a national level.
NACUE’s society support mechanisms have been commended by the World Economic Forum and the United Nations; the charity has been recognised by Real Business Magazine as one of the ‘Champions of Entrepreneurial Britain’; and its Founder Victoria Lennox was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion in July 2011 for her work in building the organisation.
