An image of Sir Peter Rigby speaking at the launch event of the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise at the University of Liverpool.

About the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise

The Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise was funded through a generous philanthropic donation from the Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust, lead by the renowned British entrepreneur.

The new Centre, located in the shared Careers Studio in our Foundation Building, is designed to bring our spirit of enterprise to life. It will embody our approach to offering dynamic opportunities for collaboration, inspiration and growth. 

Designed to help empower and improve the skills of more than 50,000 young people over the course of its first three years, the Centre offers a space in which people can collaborate, network and meet other entrepreneurs. Users will also be able to access support and advice, work with mentors or use our media and podcasting suite to help build their business presence. 

From offering funding to enterprising students who could not otherwise get access to university to helping entrepreneurs find their passion in business, or supporting staff in commercialising our world-changing research findings, the Centre will serve as a wonderful, central space for support, advice and access to the facilities needed to succeed. 

The vision

The vision of the Centre is simple. We want it to serve as a one-stop shop for all of the University of Liverpool community, including staff, students, alumni, and residents of the wider Liverpool City Region, to get access to first-class business support, advice and mentorship.

The goal is that the Centre can help young people develop the skills they need, whether they want to start a business or build their career. We will do this through collaboration, mentorship and opportunities.  

And longer-term, we want the Centre to be an incubator, not just for student start-ups, but also for our graduates and alumni community, as well as helping to have a positive impact on new business development as a whole for the Liverpool City Region.

Our goals and objectives

Our goal at the Centre is to empower people with the enterprise and entrepreneurial skills they need to thrive, whether they’re starting their own business or pursuing a career. 

Across the three-year pilot period for the Centre, we will aim to achieve this goal through several key objectives. Each of these will showcase how the Centre has helped to improve the enterprise skills of our students and other users.  

So what does success look like? Our key performance indicators include:  

  • Increasing the number of student start-ups in evidence across the University 
  • Providing an exclusive and inspiring environment for young entrepreneurs, where they can learn and develop their skills, while collaborating effectively with peers and mentors alike 
  • Embedding enterprise education into the University curriculum to ensure students are prepared for the workplace 
  • Providing access to education for students who would not otherwise be able to attend university
  • Fostering continuous learning through mentorship and development programmes that are accessible to all 
  • Establishing strong connections between students and local entrepreneurs to help with skills development, support, coaching and internships 
  • Providing a flagship enterprise hub on campus  
  • Supporting the continued increase in formation of spin-out companies coming out of the University 
  • Providing greater visibility within the Liverpool City Region entrepreneurial and business community of the work we’re doing at the University.

About Sir Peter Rigby

Sir Peter Rigby is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the UK today. Knighted in 2002 for his contribution to the IT sector, Sir Peter is also the first British businessman to ever be awarded the prestigious Legion d'honneur, or Legion of Honour, the highest award in the French order of merit. He is also the University of Liverpool's Honorary President for Enterprise.

Known as a serial entrepreneur, Sir Peter originally founded the Rigby Group in 1975 with a £2,000 loan. As founder and Chairman of the Group, he has since grown it into one of the country’s largest privately owned business groups, with interests in key sectors including technology, aviation, hotel, real estate, and finance. Today, the Rigby Group is worth more than £4 billion. 

As well as being an entrepreneur himself, Sir Peter also takes seriously his role as a mentor and leader in the industry. He plays an active role across the spectrum of communities in which his companies operate today, promoting the growth of new businesses, skills and future leaders through philanthropic ventures. It is through these ventures that Sir Peter founded the Sir Peter Rigby Charitable Trust, through which our Centre for Enterprise was funded.

This initiative represents a vital step towards equipping young people and the broader community with the entrepreneurial skills and digital expertise needed to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving economy. As someone who has always believed in the power of innovation and education, I am proud to contribute to a Centre that will not only inspire the next generation of business leaders but also provide tangible opportunities for those from all backgrounds to succeed. I look forward to seeing the transformative impact this Centre will have on the students, staff, and the entire Merseyside region over the coming years.

Sir Peter Rigby

Back to: Careers and Employability