The University’s Ideas with Impact Awards have opened applications for 2026. Made possible by donors to our Challenge Accepted campaign, the awards will provide prizes of up to £100,000 to entrepreneurial students, staff and recent alumni, enabling Manchester’s best founders to turn their early-stage ideas into real ventures.
The awards support entrepreneurs with solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. Ideas with Impact is open to applications from innovators across all disciplines – from engineering to health, and policy to creative.
Through generous donor support there is a total of £300,000 in prize funding available, and individual awards of £100,000, £75,000 and £50,000 will be given to winners, who will also receive support from experienced mentors to build their networks and accelerate impact.
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