Startup Funding for Students

The Student Startup Team, in collaboration with Santander Universities, are offering students and graduates the chance to apply for funding to develop their businesses and startup ideas.

It doesn't matter if you are exploring/ testing out an idea, wanting to conduct some market research or take an existing business to the next step, all ideas are welcome.

Struggling to decide how much you should apply for? We have offered a helpful guide as to the amounts that you could apply for and realistically what you could do with the money.

The Explore Fund: Apply for up to £300 to test an idea. 

The Develop Fund: Apply for up to £1000 to develop your idea to the next stage.

Funding is open to all current students and graduates (up to 5 years). If you have previously received funding from our previous funding rounds, you can still apply.

Make sure you highlight the impact any previous funding has had on the development of not just your business but you as a business owner. What did you learn, what would you do differently?

Successful applicants will receive this money as a grant, not a loan, meaning you don't have to pay the money back.

The deadline for applications is 23:59 pm, Wednesday 8 July 2020.

Visit our website to find out more and apply today!

The Student Startup team also has a small pot of money to support our current students and graduates (up to 5 years) who have suffered due to COVID-19. If the recent crisis has prevented you from trading or moving your business forward that you could be eligible for our,

COVID-19 Support Fund: Apply for up to £500 to help with living costs.

Unlike our other startup funds, this is the first time we are allowing applicants to apply for money towards living costs, rather than business costs.

More information can about the COVID-19 Support Fund on our website.

The deadline for the COVID-19 Support Fund is 23:59 pm, Wednesday 8 July 2020.

Is this your first time applying for funding? Have you been unsuccessful in applying for funding in the past? Need some pointers?

• Assume no one knows about your idea, explain it clearly and concisely.

• The impact is the key, 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 how you will use the money, that's helpful.

• Think about what makes you and your business different. We get lots of applications, what makes you different?

• If you have any questions, ask the team. We cannot review your application before you submit it, but, we can answer questions that you may have.

As well as startup funding, the Student Startup Team has been working with leading intellectual property firm Maucher Jenkins. They are offering our students and graduates (up to 5 years) a fantastic opportunity to win a Great Britain patent filing worth £5000 and/or A Great Britain Trademark filing worth £1000. If you have a unique product, service or design, this is an opportunity of a 'business lifetime'!

If you are planning to apply for any of the startup grants previously mentioned, you don't need to do anything extra; the reason? A member of Maucher Jenkins will be on the judging panel looking out for potential businesses that could benefit from the prize. Businesses will receive notification of the selection process upon identification.

If you do not decide to apply for any of the available funding, but are interested in the Maucher Jenkins prize please email studentstartup@port.ac.uk

If you would like to chat with a member of the Student Startup team about your business or application, please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing studentstartup@port.ac.uk.