We know it can be challenging to start your business without some funding in place.
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Santander Universities Business Development Grants
Applications for the 2023-24 grants are now closed. Applications for 2024-25 will open in March 2025.
The purpose of these grants is to support Goldsmiths students and recent graduates to develop and launch a UK-based business.
For these grants you need to have moved beyond the “having the idea” stage. As a minimum you will need to be actively researching and testing your idea. If your business is in the process of being launched or has recently been launched we encourage you to apply.
We are looking for well thought through and carefully costed proposals, which will clearly assist you in establishing and growing your business.
Grants are open to current Goldsmiths students, and recent graduates who graduated after 1 June 2022.
Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs (DBACE)
Win up to £20,000 to start and grow your enterprise.
DBACE supports visionary creative entrepreneurs who are over 18 years of age, and are driven by a mission to create and sustain social value through their enterprise.
DBACE aims to reach ambitious individuals from all backgrounds with ideas that will improve the lives of others and the communities we live in.
Deutsche Bank is partnering with MeWe360 to deliver this unique programme.
Applications for DBACE 2025 will open in January 2025.
The Mayor’s Entrepreneur Awards
Enter this award to win £20,000 for your business idea.
Open to students and recent graduates from London Universities the competition is looking for business ideas that can improve the city we live in.
The Mayor’s Entrepreneur competition is looking for your business ideas to make London cleaner, greener and ready for the future.
There are four categories you can submit an idea to (Creative Industries, Environment, Health and Tech) and each has a top prize of £20,000 start-up funding to help you turn your idea into a real business.
For more details about this competition and the challenges London is facing take a look at the website.
For the last three years a Goldsmiths student has made it to the Final of the Mayor’s Award. So definitely think about applying.
Applications for the 2025 Mayor’s Entrepreneur Awards will open in the autumn of 2024.
If you would like some support with your application please book an Enterprise Appointment via CareerSPACE or email student-awards (@gold.ac.uk)
Santander X UK Awards
Calling university and early-stage start-ups! Enter your innovative business and win up to £15,000 in equity-free funding and the opportunity to compete against the best early-stage startups from across Europe and Latin America in the Santander X Global Awards.
The competition is open to University startups from any UK university.
There are two categories:
University (for university-linked new businesses looking to launch))
Startup (for growing businesses ready to scale)
The University category is for university entrepreneurs preparing their go-to-market strategy and who are looking to launch their business. To enter this category businesses must meet the following:
Have an innovative solution which could scale
Be linked to a UK university – at least one team member must be a current student or university employee, a graduate of the last five years (since 2019), or an entrepreneur from a university incubator, accelerator or spin-out
Be preparing to go to market
Have a team of two people or more (if a solo founder, this can include advisors/board members and/or full/part-time staff)
Have a minimum viable product (MVP)
100 businesses (65 in the University category and 35 in the Startup category) will be shortlisted.
Applications for the 2024 competition are now closed. The applications for the 2025 Awards will open in May 2025.
Tata Varsity Pitch Competition
Applications for the 2024 Tata Varsity Pitch Competition are now closed
Since the inception of Varsity Pitch 15 years ago, we have seen thousands of innovative and creative businesses from students and graduates.
The concept of the competition is to actively support early-stage student and graduate start-ups throughout their entrepreneurial journey, providing them with access to support, mentors and the opportunity to compete for the prize pot of £15,000, equity-free.
Applications for this competition are now closed. Applications will open for 2025 in August & close in early September.
Ignite Competition for social enterprises
Ignite, funded by the Ford Family Foundation, is a unique pitching event designed exclusively for the social entrepreneur.
We are looking for the next social impact trailblazers emerging from UK universities to come and pitch their social enterprise for the opportunity to win a share of our incredible £50,000 Impact Accelerator Fund.
With a top prize of £20,000 and a tailored support package up for grabs, this is your chance to ignite your impact!
What we’re looking for
Ignite is all about supporting entrepreneurship and accelerating the impact social enterprises are able to make. We are here to ignite the impact of students and recent graduates across the UK who are passionate about making a positive difference through business.
We are looking for high quality impact with the capability to scale, sustainable social enterprise business models, innovative solutions to societal challenges and most importantly passionate founders who are deeply committed to creating change.
Who should apply
We are looking for trailblazing impact founders who are ambitious, passionate and ready to make a change!
To apply to Ignite, you need to be a student or recent graduate from a UK university, have an existing social enterprise you’re looking to grow and ambitions to build a sustainable impact business. You can find the full criteria here: https://ignitecomp.co.uk/more-info/
Our Impact Accelerator grants are specifically intended to do just that – accelerate the impact a social enterprise can make. It doesn’t matter what change you’re trying to make, we welcome social innovators from all backgrounds and disciplines. What matters most is unlocking maximum impact through entrepreneurship and that all applicants are looking for funding to ignite their impact.
Whether you’re tackling poverty, promoting social inclusion, or advancing equitable education and employment, developing new impactful technologies, creating community initiatives or revolutionising systems come and showcase your social impact!
Applications for 2024 are now closed. Applications for 2025 will open in April.
Samuel Wilson’s Loan Trust
Samuel Wilson’s Loan Trust (SWLT) is a charitable organisation which offers business loans to young people (aged 18-39) for establishing and developing new businesses, and who are "in need by reason of ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage."
Who can apply
To qualify for a loan individuals must
Be between the age of 18 and 39 inclusive
Have recently set up (no longer than 36 months) or be about to set up a business
Trade in Greater London, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, East Sussex or West Sussex
Please note that the Trust does not loan to any business whose primary trade is the manufacture or sale of alcohol.
Loan terms
Up to £50,000 for limited companies or between £25,000-£50,000 for sole traders
2% interest rate (subject to change)
Repayment within five years (60 months)
The precise interest rate, amount and period of the loan will be considered on an individual basis, determined at the discretion of the Trustees.
A guarantor may be required.
How to apply
You will need to submit a robust business plan with a detailed and realistic financial forecast as a part of your application.
Contact the Samuel Wilson Loan Trust to receive the application form and the templates to use for your business plan and financial forecasts. You will be required to submit supporting documents as listed on the application form.
What happens next
When you have submitted your application, we will check that your documents are correct and you will receive support from a Business Adviser to help you prepare your application for review by the Trustees.
Please note that the process could take two to four months depending on the strength of your application.
The Enterprise Advisor will give you feedback on how to write and submit an application with a higher chance of being shortlisted.
Stay informed about upcoming opportunities, deadlines and more - email student-enterprise@gold.ac.uk to sign up to the student enterprise mailing list.