FounderHer Fund

Women Founders: Win a Share of £5,000 to Launch Your Startup

Have an idea you’re ready to bring to life? The FoundHer Fund, in partnership with Converge, provides early funding to help women at the University of Edinburgh turn promising ideas into real ventures.
Women remain underrepresented in entrepreneurship and early-stage funding and this fund aims to help close that gap by giving women founders the financial boost they need to get started.

About the FoundHer Fund

The fund offers University of Edinburgh students, staff and alumni (up to two years post-graduation) who identify as women, the chance to win a share of £5,000 to launch an early-stage startup within the next 12 months.

Apply with either: A 5-minute video (recommended) or a short-written application

Deadline: Monday 16th March at 12noon
Late submissions cannot be accepted.

What We’re Looking For

Strong applications will:

  • Identify a meaningful problem and a specific customer
  • Offer a unique, innovative solution
  • Have potential to scale beyond a local context
  • Show a path to financial sustainability
  • Demonstrate a capable, committed team
  • Make a positive impact on people and the planet
  • Explain how funding will help you move forward
  • Align with the University’s missions: Data, Digital & AI, Health & Care and Climate & Environment

Launch Point judging criteria 

Who can apply?

All University of Edinburgh students, recent graduates (within two years of graduation) and staff

Applicants currently on a visa must ensure that their visa allows them to engage in business activity, or that they have a plan to transition to a visa that allows this within the next 12 months. Those on a Student Visa typically cannot engage in business activity, so please check your visa conditions and guidance from the Student Immigration Service before applying.

Funding conditions

Winners must:

  • Spend the funds within 12 months
  • Provide a short breakdown of how the funds were used
  • Attend three advisory meetings with an Edinburgh Innovations business adviser (the first of these must be booked ahead of the funding can be issued)
  • Should you win funding as part of this programme, a UK bank account is preferred for all payments. Requests to use non-UK bank accounts may be considered on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to additional checks or processing time.

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