This week marks one year since the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise was established at the University of Liverpool.
Generously supported by entrepreneur Sir Peter Rigby, the Centre has already engaged with more than 4000 students, supported 40 start-ups, and reached more than 1,500 school pupils through its Enterprise Education in Schools programme.
To celebrate the milestone, a series of anniversary events took place on campus, giving Sir Peter the opportunity to meet some of the students who have benefited from the Centre’s support so far. Among them were recipients of the Rigby Enterprise Award, who spoke about the impact the scholarship has had on their studies, wellbeing and future ambitions.
Here’s what some of them had to say:
Elias Shallu: “The Rigby Enterprise Award brings better security to providing necessities, which will shift more personal focus to improving my studies, with reassurance from others that are generous to believe in my growth.”
Ruby Green: “I am so grateful for the Peter Rigby Enterprise Award as it will help me to fully flourish, dedicate more time to academic pursuits and opportunities for growth that might have initially been out of reach.”
Evgenia Maxouri: “The Rigby Scholarship has provided me with invaluable support in my first year, enabling me to focus fully on my studies and work towards my goal of a career in finance.”
Students who have benefited from the Centre’s support meet Sir Peter.
Sir Peter also hosted Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, to discuss how the Centre’s work supports the region’s Long-Term Skills Plan and the wider ambition to equip people with the skills needed for future industries.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: “From my conversations with Sir Peter, it’s clear how deeply he still cares about his hometown and the future of young people in the Liverpool City Region. He has a real understanding of our area’s strengths – as well as the challenges we face in tackling local skills shortages.
“Our young people shouldn’t have to leave the region to build successful careers and through initiatives like the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise, alongside my Young Person’s Guarantee and BeMore programme, we’re working to make sure they don’t have to.”
Sir Peter also chaired a roundtable discussion with business leaders to explore how the University can work collaboratively with employers to address future skills needs.
Sir Peter Rigby, founder and Chairman of Rigby Group and Honorary President for Enterprise at the University of Liverpool, said: “From the outset, our vision for the Centre was to inspire and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders. Seeing the tangible impact on students and start-ups in just one year is immensely rewarding. Enterprise is about unlocking potential, and I am proud that this Centre is helping to create opportunities that will shape the future of our economy and society.”
Two initiatives that highlight the Centre’s reach are:
- Passing Presence Ltd – a student-led start-up offering compassionate end-of-life support services developed as part of the Business and Enterprise in Psychology module.
- The Liverpool Enterprise and Leadership Academy (LELA), a flagship programme equipping students with leadership, creativity and enterprise skills for the modern workplace.
The Centre has also supported innovative research commercialisation through the Sustainable Futures Accelerator, co-designed by the University of Liverpool and Sustainable Ventures. The Accelerator has helped four University spinouts to scale their impact:
- Apoello – developing a state-of-the-art digital discovery platform for organic materials.
- Plasma Fresh – revolutionising food preservation with technology that extends freshness while reducing waste.
- Robotiz3d – using cutting-edge AI to transform road maintenance, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly.
- Atomik – pioneering the development of advanced materials to improve sustainability in manufacturing.
Together, these spinouts have secured over £3 million in external equity investment and non-dilutive grant funding, with an additional £320,000 offered.
Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, said: “In just a year, the Sir Peter Rigby Centre for Enterprise has transformed the University’s enterprise landscape, ensuring our students have the skills and confidence to thrive – whether as entrepreneurs or future leaders in their chosen fields.
“The success of the spinouts supported through the Sustainable Futures Accelerator is a clear demonstration of the Centre’s impact in turning world-class research into real-world innovation.
“We were delighted to welcome Sir Peter back to campus and to show him first-hand the impact of his generous donation. The Centre is already making a real difference, and we look forward to building on its success in the years ahead.”
This week’s events also help mark the 50th Anniversary of Rigby Group. Established in Liverpool in 1975 with a £2,000 investment, Rigby Group is now Europe’s largest private technology investor and one of the UK’s most successful family companies. Throughout 2025, a range of activities, events, and philanthropic initiatives have taken place to honour its achievements.