The University of Kent has been awarded a grant of £50,000 to run a series of events for digital start-ups.

The money, from the Santander Universities' enterprise and entrepreneurship fund, will run Digital Reboot - a series of activities and business collaborations to meet the growing demand for digital start-up business support and enhance the employability skills of those looking to work within the sector.

The university is one of 15 institutions across the UK to receive a grant from the fund, which was launched to celebrate Santander Universities’ 10th anniversary in the UK.

Santander Universities' fund is a £1 million cash pot designed to support universities in delivering large-scale projects benefitting over 5,000 people directly and driving economic benefits across the UK.

Created in Spain in 1996, Santander Universities are designed to support higher education institutions through scholarships, mobility awards and entrepreneurship funding.

In addition to an annual competition and IT challenge, the Digital Reboot programme will provide: new technology and equipment which will be made available to start-up businesses; workshops and summer camps; seed funding; as well as specialist business advisors who will provide bespoke guidance.

Professor Karen Cox, vice-chancellor and president at the University of Kent, said: “The Digital Reboot will build on the existing digital media activities of the university’s Hub for Innovation & Enterprise, with the main focus of the programme centred around the development of our students, staff and recent alumni.

"We will support students looking to develop their own entrepreneurial skills, as well as engaging with the local business community to provide them with access to the innovation and creativity of the programme’s participants. Santander has provided extensive support for many other of our university schemes and we are very grateful for this new grant, which will provide a specific digital focus.”