Spark your passion with the support, community and funding in LSBU's biggest idea competition.
Read more Read moreBe inspired by the ideas that wowed us at the 2024 competition.
Read more Read moreHow can you support innovative students and grads?
Read more Read more
South Bank Ignite, LSBU premier ideas competition, fuels business start-ups, freelancing, innovation, impact, and passion.
You bring an idea! South Bank Ignite will provide the foundation, support, and community to grow as an entrepreneur. Plus, you might walk away with part of the £24K prize pot.
Date | Details |
|---|---|
| Mon., 30 Sept. 2024 | South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 1 Application Open |
| Oct – Dec. 2024 | Ongoing South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 1 Support |
| 5 - 7 Nov. 2024 | Give Your Ideas Some Love (Support in the Hub) |
| 2 - 6 Dec. 2024 | Give Your Ideas Some Love (Support in the Hub) |
| Wed., 4 Dec. 2024 | Put Your Best Idea Forward (Info Session) |
| Mon., 6 Jan. 2025 | South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 1 Application Deadline |
| Tue., 7 Jan. 2025 | South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 2 Application Open |
| Jan – May 2025 | Ongoing South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 2 Support |
| Jan – Feb 2025 | Start-Up London 6-Week Accelerator Programme |
| Mon., 17 Mar. 2025 | South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Round 2 Application Deadline |
| Wed., 21 May 2025 | South Bank Ignite 2024-2025 – Semi-Finals |
| Wed., 4 Jun. 2025 | South Bank Ignite Final, Festival, and Marketplace |
Download the South Bank Ignite Round 1 Application Word Document
Download the South Bank Ignite Competition Terms and Conditions
How To Turn Good Ideas Great (Idea Workshop)
Download the How To Turn Good Ideas Great Presentation
Watch the Zoom Recording from 29 October
Watch the Zoom Recording from 31 October
Find a range of LSBU events taking place on campus or overseas including open days, s...
A free exhibition of works by LSBU photography students held at the Embassy Tea Galle...
Our Public Lecture Series serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, insights, and i...
Turn your market stall into a must-visit destination 🛍 🚀
Make your vision of building a purpose-driven business into a reality. ♥
Get everything you need to thrive as a freelancer. 🚀
Experience the spark of innovation during the LSBU Research & Innovation Festival 202...
Celebrate entrepreneurial education and midwives positively impact the future of mate...
Showcasing Your Value And Watch Customers Line Up
Make your idea happen. We're here to help!
Spend £0 - Market Your Idea
Connect, shop, and be merry at a special winter market of LSBU businesses.
Transform Your Idea into Something Extraordinary!
Connect with local innovators and business leaders for coffee
Make ££ With Your Ideas 💷💷
Connect, Compete, Unwind, and Chill at Starters Social Club! 🎮🎲
Join us for Virtual Student Support Essentials, an event designed to give undergradua...
Transform Your Business Idea Into A Clear And Actionable Plan.
Join the conversation about emerging technologies with Dr Blay Whitby, a specialist i...
Join Keith Blair, the Lead Partner at Deloitte, as he delves in to the world of busin...
South Bank Ignite is open to all LSBU students and recent graduates (up to three years). Regardless of your school, degree, or time at university, if you have an idea or passion for a business, you can apply.
All ideas are welcome – whether it’s for a business, freelance service, social enterprise, or side-hustle.
All stages of the idea and business development are eligible! No business knowledge or experience is necessary.
South Bank Ignite offers you:
- An opportunity to express and test your passion or business idea,
- Networks and connections with other LSBU entrepreneurially minded folks as well as industry experts,
- Growth (and not a bad CV filler) in entrepreneurial skills – like problem solving, thinking-outside-the-box, pitching and presenting, leadership, and more,
- Funding opportunities with prize money as well as fast-track access to LSBU’s incubator and acceleration programmes taking place year-round.
There is so much to gain – and win – by applying!
When applying, tell us (in a nutshell)
- What the problem or need is,
- How it is currently being solved,
- What your solution is, and
- How your idea or business solves the problem.
Don’t forget to also introduce yourself (and your team) and how you are in the best position to lead this business idea forward.
Download the Word document of the application to review the information requested, and to work on your answers before submitting the online form.
The South Bank Starters team is here to help you develop your idea – and win at South Bank Ignite. Schedule a 1-2-1 idea feedback meeting through Careers Hub and attend the upcoming workshops or panel discussions taking place October through December.
Apply to the 2025 South Bank Ignite Competition to gain new skills and confidence (plus win big!)
Competitions offer you a chance to test your idea, network with other innovators and industry experts, gather feedback on your business, build entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, and more.
Below are a few external competition and funding opportunities for the LSBU students, alums, staff, and/or community members.
Stay up-to-date on all competitions and challenges by connecting with us on LinkedIn.
The Hult Prize challenges young people around the world to solve the planet's most pressing issues through social entrepreneurship – and giving them $1 million to do it!
Deadline:
Cost: Free
Prizes: Every year, one team receives $1M USD in funding to make their idea a reality.
Award Categories: You can pitch any idea you have for a social enterprise, as long as it is world-changing and aligned with at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Eligibility: To apply, you need to be:
Additional Support: South Bank Starters is here to help you with your application and making the best impression for this competition. Set up a 1-2-1 appointment to talk about this competition.
For more information, please visit https://www.hultprize.org/
Red Bull Basement wants to connect and inspire new innovators to challenge the status quo and develop new ideas, tech, and solutions to make a positive impact.
Deadline: 31 October 2024
Cost: Free
Prizes: The top 10 UK submissions will be invited to the UK Final at Red Bull Racing in November and stand the chance to represent their country at the World Final in Tokyo this December.
The global winner will receive an all-expenses paid journey to Silicon Valley and Los Angeles in 2025, accessing groundbreaking opportunities, receiving personalised mentorship from Plug and Play VC, and connecting with top industry leaders. This prize is an entire 3-week Accelerator Program.
Award Categories: Any idea offering a solution for a pressing, unmet need is welcome. Technology and Artificial Intelligence may be the whole solution, or one part of it.
Eligibility: Individuals must be aged 18 and above at the time of application and give a final presentation in English.
Additional Support: South Bank Starters is here to help you with your application and making the best impression for this competition. Set up a 1-2-1 appointment to talk about this competition.
For more information, please visit https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/red-bull-basement-uk-2024/
The Bright SCIdea Challenge provides support, training courses, networks, and templates for university students to develop an innovative science-based idea into a business plan and to compete for a £5,000 prize.
Deadline: 13 November 2024
Cost: Free
Prizes: Participants will receive:
- free, exclusive, accredited online business training workshops.
- network opportunities and advice from industry experts.
- The opportunity to pitch their idea on 18 March 2025 in Belgrave Square, London.
- £5,000 cash prize
Award Categories: Entries should fall under SCI®’s focus areas of Agri-food, Materials, Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, and Health & Wellbeing
Eligibility: Teams should be made up of 3-4 university students members; open to undergraduate and postgraduate, UK and international students.
Additional Support: South Bank Starters is here to help you with your application and making the best impression for this competition. Set up a 1-2-1 appointment to talk about this competition.
For more information, please visit https://www.soci.org/careers-support/bright-scidea
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge—brought to you by Verizon and Unloc—is looking for the best young talent across Europe and could help you get your business off the ground—or if you’ve already launched, boost it to the next level.
Deadline: 17 January 2025
Cost: Free
Prizes: Applicants will compete to win the overall prize at the grand finals:
- £10,000 of funding for their start-up business.
- A mentorship package and training programme to accelerate their idea
- Finalist runner ups will also receive £1,000 of funding for their start-up business
Award Categories: Applications will be judged on three key factors:
- Is it innovative?
- Does it improve sustainability and meet/sustain a UN Sustainable Development Goal?
- Is it viable?
Eligibility:
Applicants must be:
- Between the ages of 16 and 25 years on 1 February 2025
- Residents and/or citizens of the U.K. or the continent of Europe
- Immediate family members of the judging panel are not eligible to apply
- Previous entrants are welcome to re-enter, but previous finalists are not eligible
Business proposals must:
- Be legal in all mainland European countries
- Not have the purpose of political lobbying
- Be the applicant’s own idea
- Not infringe on the copyright, patent or intellectual property of others
- The businesses must be either pre-start (not yet trading) or no more than three years old and have had an annual turnover of less than £100,000 (120,000€) in its most recent financial year
Additional Support: South Bank Starters is here to help you with your application and making the best impression for this competition. Set up a 1-2-1 appointment to talk about this competition.
For more information, please visit https://youngentrepreneurschallenge.com/
South Bank Starters is here to guide, support, inspire, and motivate you. Find ways to connect with the team and your community of entrepreneurial minded individuals. You can email us at studententerprise@lsbu.ac.uk.
