Startup Funding

The selection panel will evaluate your application based on how clearly you explain: 

• the overview of the idea, including identifying the problem and solution
• the method of revenue generation and identified costs for the business
• the work you have done so far on the business or idea
• how the funding will be spent
• the impact the funding will have on the business
• the overall feasibility and the potential to be a viable business

All criteria are scored on a scale of 1-5. 

• Assume no one knows about your idea, explain it in a clear and concise way
• Be creative, think about adding a video to explain your idea, add a link to your website or portfolio, if you have drawings of your concept - share them with us. Anything that helps us understand your idea is always welcomed. At the same time don't worry if you haven't got anything extra to add - just make sure your overview is really clear.
• Impact is key, so explain how the funding will help - how will it make a difference?
• Be realistic with how much you are asking for. If you can provide a breakdown of what the money would be spent on, that's really helpful
• Think about what makes you different - we get lots of applications so make yourself stand out
• Any questions ask the team. We can't review your application before you submit but we can answer any questions you may have

The startup funding initiative is managed by the Student StartUp team (who sit within the Careers and Employability Service) in collaboration with Santander Universities who provide the funding.

The Careers and Employability Service work with applicants of the startup funding opportunity.  Applications to the fund are made directly on the Santander X portal from where staff in the Student StartUp team download the applications to assess against the funding criteria, in order to put successful applications through to the next stage of the application process.

The applications that are downloaded are held in a Google folder to which only members of the Careers and Employability Service have access.  Basic details of each application including the name(s) of the applicant, contact details and information relating to the business opportunity for which the application is made is held on a Google spreadsheet for easy reference. 

For those applications which are put forward to the next stage, Student StartUp staff will keep the application and contact the applicant with relevant information relating to the further stages of the applications.  For applicants who are successful at the final stage, details will be kept to maintain records and audit purposes for a period of 10 years from the end of the academic year in which the application was made. The Student StartUp team will only share information publicly with consent from the successful applicant. 

Where an application is not successful (at any stage of the application process), the Student StartUp team will keep the application for feedback purposes.  The application will be deleted at the end of the academic year in which the application was made. Applications will remain on the Santander X platform for the period stated in their policies. The Student StartUp team will continue to have access to this information to contact you with relevant opportunities but will not hold the data locally.