Venture capital funding competition of £25k to support the commercialisation of Materials Science research or technology

The Armourers & Brasiers’ Company (a livery company in the City of London) run an annual venture capital funding competition for a prize of £25,000 to support the commercialisation of Materials Science research or technology.  Entries are now invited for the 2020 competition.

The Venture Prize is looking for innovative technologies in Materials Science with clear commercial potential.  The intellectual property involved should be protected by patent or eligible for protection.

Applicants are often closely linked to the major UK university departments engaged in materials research, however applications are also welcomed and encouraged from those materials scientists working in the industrial and commercial sectors.

The competition process has been designed specifically to encourage and support materials scientists who have new and exciting ideas with commercial development potential. Therefore we hope that all applicants will benefit from entering, although there can be only one winner.

If you have any questions about the application process please email charities@armourershall.co.uk.

The annual Venture Prize competition is organised as a two stage process.  Between December and March applications can be submitted via an online form.  The form is structured as a simple business plan and explores the quality of the scientific innovation and the commercial potential.  No commercially sensitive information is required. Shortlisted applicants are then invited to give a presentation to the Venture Prize Committee in May. The winner is announced at the Armourers & Brasiers Cambridge Forum in June.

The timetable for the 2020 Competition is as follows:

early December 2019 - Applications period opens

16th March 2020 - Applications close

5th May 2020 - Interview Day for shortlisted applicants

16th June 2020 - Winner announcement at Armourers & Brasiers Cambridge Forum