Seed Fund

Seed Fund Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be a student/graduate of the University of Huddersfield
• All applicants/members of the participating business must be at least 18 years of age.
• The business activity must show benefit to the West Yorkshire region.
• Be a business based in the UK if trading already.
• If you are not trading, you should have a minimum viable product (MVP) or a demonstrable gap in the market for your product.
• For all purchases, please provide justification as to why you have chosen your preferred supplier.
• The grant cannot be used for personal expenses.

Seed Fund Usage

This grant can be used to help you bring a product to market from a formed idea, help grow or scale an existing business, or purchase equipment that will help your business move to the next stage of its evolution.  Examples of this can include:

• Preparing to go to market.
• Have a product/service that could be disruptive and innovative, with the ability to scale.
• Have a tech or innovative idea that has a proven gap in the market, based on research that you have completed, where funding is required to take the idea to the next stage.
• Creating a prototype or bring a product to market.
• Need to buy a new piece of equipment that will allow you to meet additional demand, improve your business efficiencies, or expand into a new market.

Stage 1 – Application Form

Deadline for submission of Stage 1 Application Form is 23:59 on Friday 18 December 2026: 

• Complete the Application Form (application form will be uploaded here soon, please check back) with up to 1,200 words on your business journey to date, the growth strategy, what the funds will be used for, spending and delivery timeline, R&D, Market research, and headline financials.

Monday 21 December 2026 to Friday 15 January 2027: 

Application Forms that meet the Eligibility Criteria will be sent to an independent panel of judges for marking and shortlisting. 

The closing date for Stage 1 applications is Friday 18 December 2026!

 

Stage 2 – Business Pitch

Monday 18 January to Friday 9 April 2027: 

• Shortlisted applicants from Stage 1 will be invited to present a 10-minute business pitch to an independent panel of judges  

• Applicants will be given a pitch deck template to use and will be invited to several sessions where they’ll be given support and guidance to prepare, practice and refine their pitch.  

• Unsuccessful applicants from Stage 1 will be notified that their application will not be taken any further 

 

Thursday 15 April 2027*: 

• Invited applicants will present their pitch in-person to a panel of independent judges. Pitches will be a maximum of 10-minutes, followed by 10-minutes Question & Answers from the panel 

• Pitches will be scored and marked by the independent panel of judges. 

 

Thursday 6 May 2027*: 

• Winners will be announced at an awards event on Thursday 6 May*. All Stage 2 applicants will be invited. 

We wish you good luck with your application!

*Dates are subject to change. Any changes will be notified by the Enterprise Team.

 

The closing date for 2026/27 applications is Friday 18 December 2026!

Information Sessions

Want to know more?

Got a question about the fund?

Come along to one of our online information sessions* where a member of the Enterprise Team will be on hand to answer your questions. 

*Dates for information sessions will be published here when the Seed Fund re-opens in Autumn 2026