Applications open for the 2026 return of Ideas with Impact Awards
The University鈥檚 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 拢100,000 to entrepreneurial students, staff and recent alumni, enabling Manchester鈥檚 best founders to turn their early-stage ideas into real ventures.
The awards support entrepreneurs with solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing issues. Ideas with Impact is open to applications from innovators across all disciplines 鈥� from engineering to health, and policy to creative.
Through generous donor support there is a total of 拢300,000 in prize funding available, and individual awards of 拢100,000, 拢75,000 and 拢50,000 will be given to winners, who will also receive support from experienced mentors to build their networks and accelerate impact.
Manchester is working fast to make entrepreneurship part of everyday life for our entire University community. We have a great ecosystem, but there will always be more to do. Thanks to our donors, we're able to support more great founders and drive inclusive economic growth for our region and beyond. I can't wait to see the new ventures that come through the Ideas with Impact Awards.
The innovation ecosystem across the University and beyond is thriving and this is an incredibly exciting time to turn ideas into reality. I strongly encourage all students, colleagues or recent graduates with the ambition to turn their ideas into life-changing start-ups and spin-outs to apply.
This year鈥檚 competition follows the success of 2025鈥檚 winning ventures that spanned health and life sciences, medical diagnostics, industrial biotechnology, and agri鈥憈ech, reflecting the breadth of Manchester鈥檚 research strengths and its focus on real鈥憌orld impact. From novel treatments for endometriosis and rapid, field鈥慴ased heart attack diagnostics, to sustainable metal extraction technologies and early warning systems for crop disease, the winners demonstrated how academic insight can be translated into solutions addressing major societal, environmental and economic challenges.
The team behind LanthaGen Bio, who received 拢75,000 in 2025, highlighted their progress.
The funding from the Ideas with Impact Award was transformational for LanthaGen Bio. The award gave us the credibility and momentum needed to engage confidently with partners and funders, turning a promising research concept into a growing biotechnology venture. Within six months, the original proof of concept funding has been multiplied by eighteen times through subsequent investment, grants, and partnerships. This rapid growth highlights how targeted early funding can unlock innovation that might otherwise never progress beyond the lab.
Application timeline
The awards are run in partnership with the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and Unit M. The window for applications is open now until 22 May 2026. Any students, colleagues or alumni (within three years) from across the University are welcome to apply if they are working on solutions to global challenges, and must be at an early stage in their entrepreneurial journey.
To find out more and apply, visit the Ideas with Impact Awards .
- 22nd April 鈥� applications open
- 22nd May 鈥� applications close
- 2nd July 鈥� final pitching competition and Ideas with Impact Awards event
Philanthropic support
Innovation is at the heart of the University鈥檚 Challenge Accepted campaign, fuelling our ambition to become Europe鈥檚 most inclusive and impactful innovation network, and helping deliver progress that changes lives.
Are you interested in supporting brilliant future founders and ensuring entrepreneurship for all? We鈥檇 love to explore opportunities with you.
Contact Olympia Kennard to begin a conversation: Olympia.Kennard@manchester.ac.uk.
Our innovation ecosystem
- Read more about Unit M here:
- Read more about the Innovation Factory here:
- Read more about the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre here: