Ignite 2025- UK’s Flagship Social Enterprise Competition for Student and Graduate Entrepreneurs

Ignite is the UK’s flagship social enterprise competition for student and graduate entrepreneurs ready to scale solutions that tackle the world’s toughest problems. Backed by the Ford Family Foundation, Ignite provides catalytic capital, expert mentorship, and a prestigious national platform to pitch for change.

📖 About Ignite 2025

Founded in 2024, Ignite has already awarded over £50,000 in early-stage funding and generated over £280,000 in follow-on investment across sectors such as:

• Education
• Public health
• Refugee support
• Climate
• Mental health

Ignite is a unique pitching event designed exclusively for social entrepreneurs. It supports student and graduate-led ventures tackling social and environmental problems with scalable, entrepreneurial solutions.

What They’re Looking For:

Ignite is open to all models, as long as you’re building something with:

• Clear purpose demonstrating measurable impact.
• Potential for long-term sustainability.
• An ambitious founding team ready to lead change.
• A plan to generate 50%+ of income from trading.

🎁 Benefits of Ignite 2025

Participants in Ignite 2025 can expect the following benefits:

• Win up to £20,000 in equity-free grant funding to accelerate your impact.
• Open to both for-profit and not-for-profit ventures.
• Pitch your venture live at an exclusive Fleet Street venue.
• Access to expert mentors, coaching, workshops, and advice.
• Join a growing alumni network of social innovators.
• Eligibility for follow-on investment from the Ford Family Foundation.
• Bridge the funding gap for early-stage impact founders and help the best ideas thrive.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To participate in Ignite 2025, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a student or recent graduate (within the past 3 years) of a UK university.
• Be building a venture with a social or environmental purpose.
• Operate with a legal structure that supports a social mission (e.g., reinvesting profits, asset lock, community benefit clauses).
• Be a registered organisation.
• Show evidence of demonstrable social and/or environmental impact.
• Have early traction with revenue, users, or pilots.
• Be generating or planning to generate at least 50% of income through trading.
• Have a turnover or investment to date under £100,000.
• Be available for a live pitching final in October based in London.

📅 Application Process and Requirements

Required Documents:

Applicants will need to upload:

1. A 5–7 page pitch deck or 1,500-word business plan.
2. A 5-minute video pitch introducing your team and solution.
3. A 12-month cashflow forecast.

Application Deadline:

• 31 July, 2025

How to Apply:

• Submit your application via the Ignite 2025 Application Portal.

For further details, visit the Ignite 2025 Information Page.

🌟 Why Participate?

Ignite exists to unlock the potential of social entrepreneurs emerging from UK universities. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to:

• Scale your impact-driven venture.
• Gain access to funding, mentorship, and a national platform.
• Join a community of like-minded innovators driving real change.

📌 Key Dates

• Date Published: June 27, 2025
• Application Deadline: July 31, 2025
• Live Pitching Final: October 2025 (London)

🌐 Contact Information

For more information, visit the Ignite 2025 Official Website.

• Because opportunity shouldn’t be limited by access. They bridge the funding gap for early-stage impact founders and help the best ideas thrive.
• Win up to £20,000 in equity-free grant funding to accelerate your impact.
• Open for for-profit and not-for-profit ventures.
• Pitch your venture live at an exclusive Fleet Street venue.
• Access to expert mentors, coaching, workshops and advice.
• Growing alumni network of social innovators.
• Eligibility for follow-on investment from the Ford Family Foundation.