Be the change and enter your sustainable idea in our 2024 Startup Ideas Competition

The University of Brighton’s annual Startup Ideas Competition, generously sponsored by Santander Universities, is your chance to tell us about your innovative ideas for new products,  freelance services, digital solutions, or community projects.

Every year, the University of Brighton’s Student Enterprise Team,  beepurple, hosts this exciting competition to find out about all the amazing ideas you, our students,  have!

There are three cash prizes to be won: £1000 for the first-place winner, £500 for the second-place winner, and £250 for the third-place winner.

University of Brighton’s Global Challenges

As 2024 will be a pivotal moment for our planet in terms of sustainability and the well-being of all of us, this year we want you to take your inspiration from the University of Brighton’s Global Challenges (see below) which are informed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

We want you to tell us how your idea links to one of these four global challenges: equality and inclusivity, creative sustainable economies, climate change, or well-being.

Your idea will most likely be linked to sustainability or be a business for good – ‘businesses for good’ are purpose-led, contributing positively to people and the planet while still being profitable.

Past finalists of the Startup Ideas Competition

In previous years, the competition finalists have had ideas for a sustainable swimming robe, a drawing tool for disabled artists, a global letter-exchange programme for young people, woven products made from recycled dog hair, and a tool to help neurodiverse young people to develop mindfulness skills.

Deadline to apply for the Startup Ideas Competition

If you are a University of Brighton student or a recent graduate (from the Class of 2023), make sure you submit your ‘business for good’ ideas for a new product, freelance service, digital solution, or community project before Friday, 16 February 2024.

How to apply

The application process is really straightforward, and you don’t need a business plan or any startup experience. To enter the competition, you will need to complete the Competition Entry Form on the Santander X platform (see below).

Our top tips for writing a strong application are:

• Try and write a concise description of your product/service/digital solution/community project and ensure you highlight the benefits to your target audience. (Respect the word count limit, and choose your words carefully. Get to the point quickly.)
• Make sure you have read about the University of Brighton’s Global Challenges and can explain how your entry is inspired by one or more of them.
• Know who your target customers are and how you will reach them. How does your idea solve a problem that they have?
• List your closest competitors and be really clear about how you are different from them, and your unique selling proposition (USP). There is nothing wrong with having competitors. You just need to know who they are and what they do to have clarity about what you do that’s better or different.
• Tell us how you would spend the prize money to further develop your idea. (The judges always like to see how the funding would impact you if you were to win the competition.)

Remember, this is an ideas competition rather than a business plan competition. So, don’t feel you need to have a really polished idea! Just write your idea down, and submit it online before the deadline.

We can’t wait to hear your amazing sustainable startup ideas!

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Header photo by Maria Thalassinou on Unsplash