The University of Manchester’s Venture Further competition launched in December 2019. Designed to nurture and highlight the wide range of entrepreneurial students and alumni at the University, Venture Further once again promises to be a huge success.
This start-up competition gives entrepreneurial students the chance to turn their ideas into reality and win significant early-stage funding to start their own business. With a £75,000 prize fund available to fund ten ideas across five categories (Business, Creative, Environmental, Social and Technology), winning teams will get their businesses off to a flying start. It's not all about the cash though. This competition also opens the door to a world of support programmes, workshops, mentors and networks.
Providing a fantastic opportunity for students to build their dream and launch their own business, Scott Martin, winner of the ‘Digital’ category in 2018 and founder of aiPatient recently closed on a £300k investment round for his business.
Showing this competition can take applicants anywhere, Beenish Siddique, winner of the ‘Technology’ category in 2019 and founder of AEH Innovative Hydrogel Ltd went on to win 2nd prize in the Eli Harari Graphene Enterprise Award, securing a further £20,000 to develop her business. She was also shortlisted for the Bionow ‘Promising Technologist of the Year’, showing her business is getting recognition even in its earliest stages.
With applications for the competition closing on Sunday, 8 March, entries should be a viable business proposal with the potential to succeed. Following the deadline, up to 20 finalists will be selected to pitch their business proposal to a panel of expert judges for a chance to win one of the cash prizes.
Ellie Buckley, Enterprise Business Development Executive and Competition Organiser, MEC said: “We can’t wait to see the next generation of innovative and creative ideas being submitted to this year’s competition. Venture Further has a long-standing reputation of seeking out amazing entrepreneurial talent at The University of Manchester and I’m sure that this year will not disappoint.”
If you have a viable business proposal then get involved with this fantastic opportunity and express your interest to enter by emailing enterprise@manchester.ac.uk referencing VF20. Be your own boss, venture further…
Venture Further is organised by the Masood Enterprise Centre and kindly sponsored by Fuelcard Services, IBM, Manchester Science Partnerships and Vita Student.
Top Image: Beenish Siddique, winner of the Venture Further 2019 Technology category, collects her award.
