Last winter, 30 students embarked on a trip to explore the entrepreneurial scene in the UK, collaborating with Loughborough University in London. Guided by DePaul and Loughborough faculty, the students worked on developing business ideas unique to either the UK or the US.
Each team created a pitch presentation for their business concept, presenting it to a panel of judges from both countries who played the role of potential investors. Beyond these presentations, the students delved into London’s startup ecosystem, seeking out distinctive business ideas. Their exploration went beyond borders as they considered the possibilities of exporting business concepts between the UK and the US, fostering a cross-cultural exchange of entrepreneurial innovation.
In this post, we feature Josh Taylor, a DePaul Marketing and Music Business student. Read on to learn about his experience and lessons learned.
Josh Taylor (Marketing & Music Business ’25)
Being able to study business in London is something for which I’ll always be grateful. I learned what it’s like working directly with international businesses. 
I made memories I’ll never forget, like going to a Premier League soccer match, seeing Winter Wonderland, and having some of the best food in the world.
With Christmas markets on every corner and lights shining across the city, London has so much to offer in the winter. One highlight was visiting neighborhoods recommended to us by locals. This led us to see things other groups might not have noticed, like the neighborhoods Elephant & Castle or Shoreditch. It was detours like these where I learned about all the culture London has to offer and met real people from the area.
London truly has business everywhere, and there are so many great ideas to bring back to the United States. I especially loved being able to work hands-on with an international business during our hackathon. From our hackathon, I learned how to make a business plan, analyze problems, brainstorm
solutions, and present our ideas to a panel of judges in just a few hours. Doing everything in one day was such a fun way to bond with classmates I hadn’t worked with before. Participating in a business competition was a new experience for me, but a lot of fun.
What I personally found most impactful was getting to meet so many new people. I went into the London trip not knowing a single student but came out of the experience with lots of new friends. It’s challenging trying to meet so many new people, but I pushed myself to have a conversation with everyone. This made the morning Tube rides and long walks something I looked forward to, because I could always use it as an opportunity to talk to someone new.
Studying in London made me realize that I can get outside of my comfort zone and succeed in a way I never anticipated. My experience studying abroad in London has made me a more confident person and will serve as a reminder to always say yes.
To learn more about this program, click here.