Social Enterprise Award

Converge Challenge

Does your business have a social or environmental mission? Then we want to know about it!

We can provide you with business support and funding to help get if off the ground.

Converge Challenge 2018 has now closed. The new programme will launch in March 2019.

A Social Enterprise is a business that focuses on tackling social problems, strengthening communities, improving people’s life chances or protecting the environment, as opposed to generating income for private individuals or bodies. Whilst social enterprises still aim to generate profits like any other business, those profits are reinvested in the business, or in the community, to help further the enterprise’s social aims.

If your business idea has a social or environmental mission, then enter this category to secure a top prize of £6,000. The prize fund totals £20,000 cash and in-kind support and winners will also receive bespoke follow on business support. The in-kind support will include an investment readiness workshop delivered by Social Investment Scotland (SIS) in partnership with Weber Shandwick.

The shortlisted Social Enterprise projects will receive:

  • Two days of business support training to develop your early-stage idea
  • Social Enterprise winners will receive follow on bespoke support from Social Investment Scotland (SIS) 

Previous project finalists/winners include: online physiotherapy platform;1-2-1 therapy sessions; wellbeing app; charity shop app; healthcare products

Visit our ALUMNI section to meet previous winners.

"It helped to place us on the map among the most successful startups in Scottish ecosystem. We are working very hard to create a trustworthy and recognisable brand and Converge greatly contributed to this goal." Social Enterprise 2018 winner, Anton Puzorjov, One Cherry (University of Edinburgh)

Who can apply?

  1. Any individual Staff member or Student at any Scottish University or Scottish Research institution. Students and Staff members should gain permission from their Supervisors, Principal Investigators or Technology Transfer Officer, as appropriate, to enter the Competition;
  2. Recent graduates from any Scottish University or Scottish Research Institution up to 24 months after graduation
  3. An individual who meets the criteria identified in 1 and 2 may apply on behalf of a company that has been either dormant, non-trading or trading for no longer than 12 months with an income (incl. but not limited to grants, investment, loans, revenue, prizes) not higher than £100,000, are eligible to apply;
  4. Applicants must be permanently resident in the UK, and most people who benefit from the idea must live in Scotland;
  5. Enterprising activity must not involve political campaigning or the advancement of religion;
  6. If the enterprising activity depends on having premises or land, applicants must already have a lease agreed;
  7. An individual will not be eligible to win the runner-up prize if they have already been separately funded for the same idea by the partner

A full list of terms and conditions for the Converge Challenge Social Enterprise can be found HERE.

Meet our 2018 Top 6 Social Enterprise finalists below: