The MSDUK Innovation Challenge offers founders and established Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) entrepreneurs with an opportunity to obtain business funding and support.
Participants will be invited to pitch an innovative product, solution or technology to a panel of corporate investors, venture capitalists and angel investors with a view to access the markets, finance and technical support needed to develop and scale their business. The event will focus on the following business areas:
- Advanced digital technologies
- Healthcare and wellbeing
- Social innovation
- Sustainable futures
The following prizes are on offer:
- £5,000 cash prize for the Challenge winner, plus introductions to an investor network and workshops.
- £40,000 worth of business school scholarships at Ivy League Tuck School of Business for the top four finalists.
- £100,000 worth of corporate mentoring over 12-18 months.
- 20+ places on a grant funded programme (£200,000 worth of total value).
The Challenge is open to individual entrepreneurs and businesses operated by people of BAME origin who are permanent UK residents or British Citizens. The applicants must age 18 or over.
The 2020 application deadline has been extended to 31 July 2020.