Apply for WE Innovate Women-Led Startup Competition (UK)

Deadline: 16-Nov-2026

The WE Innovate Women-Led Startup Competition is a six-month entrepreneurship programme supporting women-led teams at Imperial College London to develop early-stage ideas into viable, pitch-ready startups. Running from January to June, the programme combines masterclasses, personalised coaching, mentoring, and expert advice, with finalists competing for a share of a £30,000 equity-free prize fund. The WE Innovate Women-Led Startup Competition is designed to help women-led teams transform early-stage entrepreneurial ideas into startups with the potential to move toward investment, growth, and market development. The programme runs for six months, from January through June, and combines structured learning with practical startup development support. Participants receive guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and industry professionals while developing their business ideas and preparing to pitch. The initiative is structured as a three-phase programme delivered over six months.

The programme combines:

The phased structure is designed to help participants progressively develop their ideas rather than simply compete in a single pitch event.

Participants gain access to a range of resources and entrepreneurial support

Masterclasses provide structured learning to help teams understand important aspects of building and developing a startup. The sessions are intended to help participants strengthen their entrepreneurial knowledge and apply it directly to their own business ideas. Teams receive personalised coaching to help them address challenges associated with developing their startup. Coaching can provide targeted guidance based on the team’s stage of development, business idea, and specific needs. Mentoring gives participants the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and entrepreneurs. Mentors can provide perspectives on business development, entrepreneurship, and the practical challenges of taking an early-stage idea forward. Participants can access the Experts-in-Residence service, which provides bespoke one-to-one advice from a network of industry professionals. This allows teams to seek specialist guidance relevant to their individual startup development needs.

Participants also become part of a growing community of women founders across the UK

The community can provide opportunities for: Finalist teams compete in a pitch competition for a share of the £30,000 equity-free prize fund. Because the prize is equity-free, successful teams do not give up ownership of their startup in exchange for the prize funding. Additional awards are also available, including: These additional awards provide further recognition and opportunities for participating teams. The competition is designed for women-led teams from Imperial College London. The team lead must meet specific eligibility requirements.

The team lead must:

Applicants should ensure that the team lead meets the eligibility requirements before applying. The programme allows participation from several stages of the Imperial College London academic and research community.

Eligible team leads can include:

The programme therefore provides an opportunity for both current students and recent graduates to develop entrepreneurial ideas. Teams should enter the programme with an entrepreneurial idea that has potential to be developed into a viable startup.

A strong concept should clearly identify:

The programme’s coaching, mentoring, and masterclasses can then be used to test assumptions and strengthen the business model. Finalists will compete in a pitch competition, so teams should progressively develop their ability to communicate their startup idea clearly.

A strong pitch should explain:

Teams should use feedback received during coaching and mentoring to refine their final pitch. Early-stage founders often need more than an idea to develop a viable startup. Access to experienced mentors, industry experts, structured learning, and founder networks can help participants test their assumptions, improve their business models, develop entrepreneurial skills, and prepare for external pitching opportunities. The WE Innovate programme combines these forms of support within a structured six-month development journey. It is a six-month entrepreneurship programme that helps women-led teams from Imperial College London develop early-stage entrepreneurial ideas into viable, pitch-ready startups. The programme lasts six months, running from January through June. The initiative consists of three phases combining masterclasses, personalised coaching, mentoring, and expert support. Finalists compete for a share of a £30,000 equity-free prize fund. An equity-free prize does not require successful teams to give up ownership of their startup in exchange for the prize funding. The team lead must be legally recognised as female under the Equality Act 2010 and must be a current Imperial undergraduate, postgraduate student, Early Career Researcher, or a graduate who completed their studies within the last two years. In addition to the main prize fund, the competition includes the Engineers in Business Award and the Lauren Dennis in Memoriam Award. Participants receive expert-led masterclasses, personalised coaching, mentoring, access to the Experts-in-Residence service, and opportunities to connect with a wider community of women founders. The WE Innovate Women-Led Startup Competition provides a structured six-month pathway for eligible women-led teams at Imperial College London to develop entrepreneurial ideas into pitch-ready startups. Through masterclasses, coaching, mentoring, industry expertise, and a £30,000 equity-free prize fund, the programme supports participants as they test, refine, and present their startup concepts. For more information, visit Imperial Enterprise Lab.