LCF Grad Futures: Enterprise Challenge 2026 – Tips to a Winning Application

This session is only for London College of Fashion students. It is aligned to your Graduate Futures start up and freelance journey.

Join LCF Graduate Futures for a focused, practical webinar introducing the brief for our annual Enterprise Challenge, open to all LCF students—and there’s still time to enter. If you have an idea, concept or emerging project you would like to develop into a business or freelance practice, this session will give you clear direction on how to elevate it.

This webinar provides specific guidance on the minimum research required for a strong submission. You'll learn exactly what baseline evidence you need, such as understanding your target audience, identifying the problem you are solving and gathering concise market indicators, without feeling overwhelmed or pressured to produce an in-depth business report. We'll outline the key research questions to answer, what judges expect at this stage and how to present your findings effectively.

We'll also introduce a storytelling framework to help your application stand out. You'll discover how to shape your idea into a compelling narrative that highlights the need, your unique solution and the impact it could have. We'll explore how to articulate your value proposition with clarity and confidence, ensuring your submission feels focused, convincing and memorable.

Alongside the brief, we'll walk through the application process, timelines and support available from our consultant team: from refining your concept to strengthening your pitch. The session is designed to help you turn early-stage ideas into well-reasoned, viable propositions ready for development.

If you attended the November launch but would like a refresher or want to join the live Q&A, please feel welcome to join.

If you’re ready to think big, sharpen your idea and take the next step toward becoming an innovator, disruptor or future leader in your field, book your ticket now.

Speakers

• Mirela Barbosa, Graduate Futures Enterprise consultant:Mirela Barbosa is a mentor and consultant with over 20 years’ experience in the fashion and beauty industries. Her work combines research, strategy, and cultural aspects to help develop meaningful brands. She is also the founder of Project M, an emotional branding consultancy aimed at startups and mid-sized companies, launched after completing her MA in Fashion Entrepreneurship and Innovation at LCF.

Useful resources

In this webinar, you will develop the key skills of enterprise, communication, proactivity and storytelling as defined by the UAL Creative Attributes Framework (My_CAF). Before attending this activity, we suggest you:

• Check out our Enterprise Challenge Padlet

If there are any barriers to your participation in this event or you have access requirements you wish to discuss, please contact graduate.futures@fashion.arts.ac.uk in advance, we'd be happy to talk with you. If you can't sign-up as the tickets have run out or expired, please email and see if you are still able to attend.

Image credit: LCF Graduate Futures imagery. Illustration by Danya Vassanth