Spotlight on Impact
Ignite 2024 brought together some of the most exciting early-stage social entrepreneurs from across the UK. With applications from 30 universities, we saw ideas tackling housing, AI in healthcare, adaptive fashion, carbon reduction, refugee employment and more.
From an outstanding shortlist of 13 ventures, six finalists were selected to pitch live at The Shard, competing for a share of the £50,000 prize fund and the chance to join our growing network of changemakers
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grant funding
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Additional
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Start Ups
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OUR FINALISTS
Ventures Driving Real-World Change
A digital platform transforming patient-doctor communication and care pathways designed by a student doctor, built for frontline use
Tahia Mehmood
The Even Project CIC
Revolutionising menstrual health in refugee camps with sustainable, reusable absorbent underwear – reducing waste, cost and stigma.
Anushka Mahesh
Aurusha Kharas
Sarah Bailey
EqualReach
A tech platform connecting displaced talent with dignified, remote work. Reducing job-seeking time for refugees from 6 months to 2 weeks.
Giselle Gonzales
Dewey Clothing
Creating stylish, sustainable fashion specifically for adults under 5 feet tall — closing a long-overlooked gap in the fashion industry.
Chamiah Dewey
Chris Savva
CarbonTrac
Using AI to give grocery shoppers real-time carbon impact data, helping consumers make climate-conscious choices every day.
Yasmine Abdu
Verified by Maudsley
Backed by the NHS, this platform introduces a quality mark for digital mental health tools, ensuring safety, clinical validation, and trust.
Chris Attoe
Andrew Doe
To read more about our finalists download our 2024 finalists brochure
DownloadUniversity Participation
We received applications from across the UK, including:
A Night to Remember
Held at The Shard, the final brought together founders, funders, policymakers, and practitioners to witness purpose-led ventures take centre stage. All finalists received funding, and one winner walked away with £20,000 in equity-free support.
“This competition isn’t just about money — it’s about belief, backing, and being seen.”
Finalist
What’s Next?
Ignite 2025 is now open. If you’re a student or graduate building a venture that solves real problems and creates positive change, get ready to ignite your impact!
“What began as a simple idea, sketched out while juggling ward rounds as a medical student, is now a working tool already used by frontline clinicians. None of this would have been possible without Ignite — not just the funding, but the belief, the mentorship, and the space to explore.”
“Ignite gave me the structure, clarity and confidence to move faster and with more purpose. This journey has been transformational – and we’re just getting started.”
Tahla Mehmood,
Founder of Medily AI
In under 12 months, Medily AI has:
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Medical queries
processed
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Users
onboarded including
750 active clinicians
and NHS staff
Pivoted to a B2B model,
co-developing AI
“co-pilots” for care
homes and clinics
Begun building native
mobile apps to serve
bandwidth-restricted
environments
Improved clinical
workflow, note
generation, and time-
to-guidance on shift
Sponsored by
Ignite 2024 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors:
