Ready to Launch?
Entry to this competition has now closed.
If you have a well developed business idea or an already established business or social enterprise, enter the New Ventures Competition to win up to £6000, in-kind support and gain some essential exposure.
This competition is designed to accelerate your business or social enterprise and help unleash the full potential of your ideas. Previous winners and entrants of our competition have gone on to be offered investment on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, secure significant funding and grants elsewhere, and are continuing to grow their companies successfully.
Download the complete New Ventures Competition Guidelines here (pdf).
The New Ventures Competition is sponsored by:
New: Six Categories
For the first time SIE has introduced six categories into the competition. Your idea will be judged according to specific category criteria, with more opportunities to win cash prizes:
- Arts &Cultural Enterprise: A business that’s primary product/offering is related to artistic, musical, theatrical, dramatic or cultural endeavour.
- E-Commerce & Retail Business: A business whose focus is on the sale of products or goods through either a physical or online environment or direct to the customer. This would also include cafés, restaurants and other food outlets.
- Product Based Business: A business that is based around a the commercialisation of a new product or products developed by the founders of the business.
- Science, Technology, Engineering Business (including Software): A business that has a significant level of scientific/technological know-how at the heart of its’ offering. This is likely to come from academic research or an area or expertise of the founder or team.
- Service Business: A business that provides a distinct service offering to either the public or other businesses. This service is likely to make use of the knowledge and/or expertise of the team. This would include web development, web design, product design and any kinds of consultancy.
- Social Enterprise: a sustainable enterprise which employs at least its main staff, and is operated on sound business principles in order to benefit a social or environmental causes with the main goal of reinvesting some or all of its profits for the benefit of the cause, rather than for the purpose of wealth generation. The business might be any of the above types of business but should be included in this category if the primary reason for the business is to create profit and donate a significant portion or all of it to long term social or environmental benefits.