Enterprising Events and Competitions

Could your freelancer project benefit from a £1,000 boost?

Santander UK, with support from our Santander Universities (incuding the University of Birmingham) are offering up to £250,000 in total funding to support UK-based freelancers and SMEs with a freelancer grant.

The funding is giving to up to 250 freelancers a financial grant of £1,000 to complete projects for up to 250 SMEs. If you are a freelancer at the University of Birmingham, you can apply for a £1,000 freelancer grant before the deadline date of Wednesday 31 March 2021.

• Apply Here

 

Are you up for a Challenge? The Ingenuity Programme is a partnership between universities, large businesses, SMEs and public and third sector organisations and they are looking to invest in bold new business ideas that can create the biggest impact across the UK. Come up with business solutions posed by the key issues faced by the world today. Bring your big ideas and compete for a chance to win a share of the £400,000 programme investment. 

The Ingenuity Programme is designed to create impact through enterprise in communities across the UK. They are looking for the most viable and innovative business ideas that will transform how and where we live. Ingenuity is looking to support:

Future Founders – investment-ready start-ups that produce sustainable impact across the UK.

Regional Pioneers – new thinking within existing organisations, developing better businesses and more socially responsible activity.

• Enter the Ingenuity Challenge here

The Ingenuity Programme originates from the University of Nottingham and is hosted by the University of Warwick.
Ingenuity offers a comprehensive programme of insight and inspiration, collaboration and partnership, skills and training, and business plan creation and investment.

The Health Innovation Prize is a competition organised by Institute of Global Health (IGHI) based at Imperial College London. They are looking for the next generation of Global Health Innovators.

Formerly known as Student Challenges Competition, IGHI's Health Innovation Prize offers you the opportunity to showcase your research and to win prize money to fund your global health project. 

Each year, IGHI hosts a Dragon’s Den-style event to find the winner. 

'We welcome applications from any UK-based university students. Projects can cover any aspect of global health innovation, such as improving hygiene or developing diagnostic tools for use in remote areas.'

Applications close on Friday 5 February 2021. Submit your application for a chance to win the £10,000 prize.

• Submit your application

 

The Birmingham Startup Games is a competition run by the UoB Start-Up society.

Do you have a business or a business idea that you will grow in the future? Come and pitch your business idea at the Birmingham Startup Games for a chance to win cash prizes, network with like-minded entrepreneurs and get your busines in front of a bigger audience.

Birmingham Startup Games is the only competition at the University of Birmingham that gives students a possibility to win a cash prize to further grow their businesses or make their business idea a reality. This is going to be the 5th edition of our pitching contest.

This competition is being run between two universities and is open to University of Birmingham and University of Keele students. The competition is now open and the deadline for entries is Monday 15 February 2021.

Successful businesses will be invited to attend the final on Monday 15 March 2021.

• Find out more and Apply here

 

Make your passion for innovation a reality by becoming an ambassador for the West Midlands by exploring how 5G is set to revolutionise our lives.

Do you want to explore 5G and how it is changing the way we use devices, connectivity and data?  By opening up a world of exciting possibilities across business, transport, healthcare and manufacturing, to name a few, 5G will impact our day to day lives.

• Are you passionate about digital technology and its potential to change how we work, live and play?
• Are you interested in bringing your ideas and interests to life and utilising cutting-edge technology to improve the lives of our communities?
• Do you want access to a brand-new opportunity for young people in the region?

Apply today to join West Midlands 5G on their 5G in 5 Days programme.

• Apply here

 

The Birmingham Project is the University's most exciting opportunity exclusively for undergraduate first year students!

Working as part of an interdisciplinary team, students tackle a 'real-world' challenge by conducting research and creating innovative online resource. Participants gain invaluable skills and experience which will benefit their studies and set them apart when applying for internships and jobs.

The project was piloted in 2013/14 with 60 students taking part and due to its success, it was expanded to take 200-300 students in 2014/15 and 2015/16. In 2016/17 we saw our largest number of participants with 300-400 students taking part.

When does the project take place?

The Project takes place during the final two weeks of the summer term, after the exam period.The Birmingham Project 2019/20 will take place from 8 - 19 June 2020 (excluding weekends).Who can participate?The project is exclusively available to first year undergraduate students. 

What does the project involve?

Working in a mixed discipline group (up to 10 students per group), students will tackle one of several 'real-world' challenges which are set by our Challenge Leads (usually a University of Birmingham Academic) and our external business partners. Examples of last year's challenge titles, based around five diverse themes.

Project Fortnight

The project will run from Monday 14 - Friday 25 June 2021. Click on the link to access the Birmingham Project website.

• The Birmingham Project