Julie Devonshire OBE

Julie Devonshire OBE is the Director of the Entrepreneurship Institute at King's College London, where she plays a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurial skills among students, alumni, and staff. Her mission is to integrate entrepreneurship into the culture of King's College by 2029, engaging over 30,000 individuals annually and helping to establish more than 30 ventures each year across various sectors, including health and technology.12

Before her tenure at King's College, Devonshire served as the Director of Ventures at UnLtd, where she supported early-stage social entrepreneurs in scaling their businesses and securing investments. Notably, she was instrumental in the growth of One Water, a bottled water company that donates all profits to build water pumps in Africa, achieving £8.2 million in donations during her leadership.12

Devonshire is an ACCA fellow and has been recognized for her contributions to entrepreneurship with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) awarded in 2016 as part of the Queen's 90th Birthday Honours List. This accolade highlights her commitment to social entrepreneurship and business development.12

In addition to her role at King's College, she is involved in various initiatives aimed at enhancing start-up activity and innovation within the university ecosystem, including partnerships with organizations like Santander Universities UK.23