Impact Funding Resources
The Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund is a pre-commercial grant awarding fund. On a competitive basis, the fund supports entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland with grants to explore the viability and commercial potential of an innovative concept.
End Date26 Aug 2025 Funding AmountUpto GBP 40k Funding Resource TypeGrant
Funding ProviderTechstart Ventures
Grant
Techstart Ventures
• Applicants can apply as a Sole Trader, Partnership or Limited Company. Applications from Community Interest Companies and Social Enterprises will not be considered.
• You (i.e. Sole Trader, Partnership, Limited Company) must have an innovative/novel concept to prove.
• The principal applicant must be the founder, and if applying through a Limited Company then the Company then the principal applicant must be a Director and majority shareholder in the Limited Company.
• The principal applicant must be resident in Northern Ireland, and Limited Companies must be registered in Northern Ireland. (please note that Techstart may ask for copy of a recent utility bill for proof of address)
• If you are applying for some of the grant to cover the employment costs, then the application must be made by a Limited Company.
• For independent third-party costs, at application stage you must identify your proposed supplier. If your proposed supplier has provided you with a quotation, you should append it to your application form.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide formal quotations from the proposed Suppliers in advance of a Letter of Offer being issued.
• If applying as a Limited Company, up to 30% of the Grant awarded is available to cover the employment costs of the founders who will complete a portion of the work internally, with a set daily rate of £200. For such costs to be approved, your application must clearly detail what work will be done during the PoC project under these costs and what the output will be. Please note that Administration Time, Project Management Time and similar Overhead activities will not be eligible activities to be covered within employment costs.
• Applicants can have no more than two unsuccessful applications within the current Grant Fund period (2025-2030), irrespective of the entity applying or the concept applied for. If you have been unsuccessful previously and are unsure if you are eligible to reapply, please contact Techstart directly to check. (grants@techstart.vc)
• Applicants can only have one submission per application round.
• Applicants who have previously been awarded a Catalyst Co-Founders' Proof of Concept Grant cannot use the Techstart Grants to cover the same costs. Double-funding must not occur.
• University related companies are not eligible to apply for a Techstart Grant where the University has an ownership stake in the company and/or any associated IP.
• Your approach to the concept will have a balance between technology/product development and market facing activities (customer discovery, further market validation etc.); and
• The stage of development of the concept will have greater emphasis on steps towards commercial exploitation/engagement with potential customers.
