Launch Point (Semester 2)

About

The Semester 2 2026 round gives University of Edinburgh students and recent graduates the chance to compete for a share of a £4,000 prize pot for an early-stage startup, with £3,000 reserved for engineering, science, or medical science applicants.

Benefits

• 💰Prize pot
  Winners receive a share of the £4,000 total prize pot to help launch an early-stage startup within the next 12 months.
• 🔬ESBF funding
  £3,000 of the prize pot is specifically for applicants in engineering, science, or medical science.
• 🧭Advisory support
  Winners receive guidance from Edinburgh Innovations advisers, including three required advisory meetings with a business adviser.

Eligibility Criteria

• Mandatory: Open to all University of Edinburgh students.
• Mandatory: Recent University of Edinburgh graduates up to two years post-graduation are eligible.
• Mandatory: Previous Launch Point winners may apply again only with a new idea and provided they have not received competition funding this academic year.
• Mandatory: Applicants on a visa must ensure their visa permits business activity or that they have a plan to transition to a visa that permits it within the next 12 months; Student Visa holders typically cannot engage in business activity and should check visa conditions before applying.
• Mandatory for ESBF funding: Applicants must be in engineering, science, or medical science to be considered for the £3,000 ESBF-funded portion.

Participation Commitments

• Applicants must submit either a five-minute video pitch or the short written application, not both.
• Video pitches must be delivered by the founder; AI voiceovers and sped-up recordings are not allowed, and pitches over five minutes will be disqualified.
• Applications must be submitted by 16 March 2026 at 12:00 noon; late submissions will not be accepted.
• The application form requires applicants to indicate whether their idea fits a University core mission and, if so, select one.
• Winners must spend the funds within 12 months.
• Winners must provide a short breakdown of how the funds were used.
• Winners must attend three advisory meetings with an Edinburgh Innovations business adviser.
• A UK bank account is preferred for payments; requests to use non-UK bank accounts may be considered case-by-case and may be subject to additional checks or processing time.

Target Sector

Sector agnostic, Agriculture & Food, Defense & Security, Education, Energy & Utilities, Financial Services, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer, Semiconductors & Electronics, Sports & Fitness, Telecommunications, Transportation & Logistics, Travel & Hospitality, Other

Target Location

Applicant eligibility is tied to being a University of Edinburgh student or a recent graduate within two years of graduation; no separate country, nationality, residence or operating-location requirement is stated.