At North London Collegiate School, we believe that education should not only prepare students to navigate the world as it stands today, but also equip them with the tools, ambition and confidence to reshape it for tomorrow. That belief sits at the heart of Surge, our new Start-Up Academy – a programme designed to spark entrepreneurial thinking, cultivate bold ideas, and challenge the status quo.
Far from being a simple crash course in business, Surge confronts the persistent inequalities that still define the start-up landscape where, in 2024, less than 3% of UK venture capital funding went to all-female founding teams. This is not a marginal gap; it is a systemic failure. Rather than waiting for change to happen, we are focused on preparing our students to lead it.
Through a carefully curated series of workshops, mentorship opportunities and keynote events, Surge introduces students to the fundamentals of value creation, disruptive innovation and brand definition delivered not in theory, but through the lived experience of those shaping the future of business. The programme is enriched by the insight and generosity of an exceptional group of speakers, including Priya Lakhani OBE, entrepreneur and CEO of CENTURY Tech, and Beth Horn, UK Managing Director of Pinterest. Several distinguished ONLs will also be contributing their expertise: Sonal Patel, writer, philanthropist and CEO of the GMSP Foundation; and Rupal Kantaria and Nikki Davis, both partners at global strategy consultancy Oliver Wyman. We are also delighted to welcome ONL Lauren O’Donnell, founder of overnight oat brand Oatsu, who brings the perspective of a solo founder building a purpose-led business — alongside her experience securing nationwide listings with Ocado, Holland & Barrett and Selfridges, and winning a Channel 4 TV ad for Oatsu. In addition, Lori Meakin, Planning Partner at adam&eveDDB, will bring a creative industry perspective, sharing insights on brand strategy and storytelling and Rupa Popat, Founder and Managing Partner of Arāya Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage technology companies.
The inaugural Surge course will launch this September, open exclusively to NLCS Year 12 students. We are proud to begin this journey with our Lower Sixth cohort and are already planning how we will scale the programme in the very near future to reach even more aspiring founders and disruptors.
Surge is not an isolated initiative, but part of a wider NLCS ambition, reflected also in our oracy programme Raising Voices, to ensure that every student leaves school not only intellectually accomplished, but equipped to step onto any stage or into any boardroom with confidence, clarity and conviction. The ability to communicate, to listen, to persuade and be heard is not a soft skill, but a strategic one and we believe it is essential for the future our students will inherit and shape.
In the months and years ahead, we hope that Surge will inspire a new generation of female founders: creative thinkers with the resilience, knowledge and networks to turn great ideas into meaningful action.
NLCS students entering Year 12 can register their interest by completing the form below by 4th September 2025.
