Impact Funding Resources
Backed by the Ford Family Foundation, 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. Ignite helps scale the impact of ambitious social enterprises emerging from UK universities with funding, expert mentoring and connections.
Whether you're a CIC, charity or a for-profit with an unwavering mission to make a difference — if your goal is sustainable social impact, Ignite is for you.
Whether you're a CIC, charity or a for-profit with an unwavering mission to make a difference — if your goal is sustainable social impact, Ignite is for you.
End Date31 Jul 2025 Funding AmountUpto GBP 20k Funding Resource TypeInnovation Award
Funding ProviderFord Family Foundation
Innovation Award
Ford Family Foundation
Whether you're a CIC, charity or a for-profit with an unwavering mission to make a difference — if your goal is sustainable social impact, Ignite is for you.
Ignite backs student and graduate-led ventures tackling social and environmental problems with scalable, entrepreneurial solutions.
• 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
Please ensure you meet this prior to application:
• Have at least one founder who is a current student or recent graduate (past 3 years) of a UK university
• Be a registered organisation
• Operate with a legal structure that supports a social mission (e.g., reinvesting profits, asset lock, community benefit clauses)
• Show evidence of demonstratable social and/or environmental impact
• Have early traction with revenue, users or pilots, etc
• Be generating or planning to generate at least 50% of income through trading
• Have turnover or investment to date under £100,000
• Must be available for a live pitching final in October based in London
