With Global Entrepreneurship Week in full-swing, businesses are being urged to submit their entries for the 2016 Shell Springboard Program before the deadline for applications closes on Friday 20th, November.
The Shell Springboard Program offers funding awards of up to £150,000 to small enterprises with innovative, commercially viable business ideas that reduce carbon emissions and help in the move to a lower carbon economy.
Successful applicants will also enjoy the benefits of networking with the key players in the low-carbon sector and exciting publicity opportunities.
Who can apply and what are they looking for?
Any UK-registered SME can apply, but all applications should fulfill the three core Shell Springboard criteria – namely that your business idea:
- Will reduce carbon emissions
- Is commercially viable
- Demonstrates one or more innovative elements.
There is a handy FAQ section on the Shell Springboard website that explains more about the criteria, and answers common questions potential entrants might have.
How is it judged and what’s the prize?
Once the deadline for entries – which is November 20, 2015 for the 2016 Program – has passed, all applications will be assessed by a three-stage process which is conducted by an independent, specialist climate change and sustainability consultancy.
The first phase will be run on a regional basis. The businesses shortlisted in each region will meet independent judging panels which will select a winner for each region.
Also, at this stage, the 6 businesses the judging panels deem to be the most compelling entries, will each receive an Award of £40,000 from Shell Springboard.
Overall winner to receive £110,000
Regional winners will then proceed to the Shell Springboard National Finals in London in March 2016. Here, the finalists will meet another expert panel of independent judges, who will ultimately select the overall national winner, who will receive a further £110,000 in no-strings funding.
Previous Springboard winners
Since launching in 2005, the Springboard program has awarded approximately £3 million to 86 enterprises and has supported some of the UK’s most innovative and inspiring companies, including;
- Select Innovation – whose EnLight product is helping city councils keep the streetlights on by reducing the cost and carbon intensity of urban lighting systems.
- bio-bean – which has developed a unique method for turning waste coffee grounds into biodiesel.
- Cella Energy – which developed a hydrogen storage technology and has since attracted funding from NASA.
- Antaco – which is pioneering a method of converting biodegradable organic waste into highly efficient, carbon-neutral ‘biocoal’.
- GravityLight – a unique technology that generates light from gravity.
- Celtic Renewables – which produces advanced biofuels from whisky industry residues.
To find out more about Shell Springboard, and to make your application, visit ShellSpringboard.org.
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