Are you studying an Engineering or Science subject? Do you have an innovative idea that you would like to take forward? You could win up to £1,500 from the Engineers and Scientists in Business Fellowship!

Students from around the UK take part in ESBF-funded competitions each year, gaining valuable funding to take their businesses forward and enabling them to gain commercial and entrepreneurial skills.

You can enter with a fully formed business with documented traction to date, or just an innovative idea that you would like to explore. Whether you are looking to take the business forward and make it a reality, or just gain some core entrepreneurial skills and exposure to industry leaders – this is the competition for you!

You could even find yourself shortlisted for the Champion of Champions Competition where finalists compete for a share of the £16,500 prize pot, which includes seed funding, mentoring, and exposure to business leaders.

Please see below for full eligibility criteria.

A dedicated competition for science and engineering students!

Funded by the Engineers and Scientists in Business Fellowship (ESBF) – a registered charity dedicated to promoting business education and leadership among engineers and scientists in the UK.

In addition to their university competitions, ESBF allows students to:

• Develop business and leadership skills
• Reach their full professional potential
• Advance their careers and impact UK industry

This years competition is being supported by the University of Southampton Engineering Society.

Champion of Champions

All those that enter the Engineers and Scientists in Business Competition – not just those that are selected as winners – will be eligible to enter the Champion of Champions competition! This provides access to a further £16,500 prize pot as well as industry specific mentors and exposure to business leaders. This competition is held every autumn and brings together top students from around the country, giving them a chance to showcase their innovations on a national stage.

Eligibility

This competition is open to any current student studying one of the following degree topics:

• Acoustical Engineering
• Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
• Biological Sciences
• Biomedical and Medical Engineering
• Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
• Civil Engineering
• Computer Science and Software Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Maritime Engineering
• Mathematical Sciences
• Mechanical Engineering
• Medicine
• Ocean and Earth Science
• Photonics and Optoelectronics
• Physics and Astronomy

If a business is being formed by multiple individuals, only one member must be studying one of the above degree topics to be deemed eligible.

International Students

We must emphasise that, if successful, this funding cannot be used to launch any business activity while in the UK. It would just be as a reward for an innovative idea. You would still be eligible to enter the Champion of Champions competition and gain recognition and exposure to industry leaders.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or the application process, please contact [email protected] or book a 1-1 with a member of the Student Enterprise team. 

Application process

1 Please fill in the application form by 23:59 on Sunday 10 May 2026. This will include answering questions about your business/idea, what problem it addresses, who your main competitors might be and your plan for the next 12 months. Please note that you do not have to have started any business activity to be eligible to enter the competition, prizes can also be awarded to students with innovative ideas that address a real need.

2 If shortlisted, you will be invited to an in-person presentation day in front of a panel of judges (date TBC). This is a chance to hear more about your idea and ask some questions about what has inspired you. More details on the requirements for this will be provided in your shortlist email.

3 Winners will be announced on the same day as the presentations, after a short deliberation period from the panel. Photographs MUST be taken of the winning individuals/teams during the certificate presentation to receive the funding from ESBF.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or the application process, please contact [email protected] or book a 1-1 with a member of the Student Enterprise team. 

Key dates

Applications open: Monday 2 March 2026

Application deadline: 23:59, Sunday 10 May 2026

In-person presentation day: TBC

Previous ESBC and Champion of Champions winners

Over the last 4 years we have had many successful student-led businesses funded by ESBF and four businesses go through to the grand final hosted at the Royal Academy of Engineering.

2025 Winners:

• First Place (£1,500): Alexandar Todorov, SILATECH – Privacy-first sensors that monitor elderly health and prevent falls. No wearables, cameras, or microphones required. SilaTech detects falls in real-time, alerts care staff instantly, and even predicts risks with AI, improving safety, reducing costs, and freeing up staff time.

• Second Place (£1,000): Nirmal De Britto, DEXTRA – A sensor glove and GUI system that supports stroke survivors with independent rehabilitation. By measuring precise hand movements and visualising them in 3D, Dextra gamifies exercises and provides feedback, enabling effective recovery at home.

• Third Place (£500): LOOP ELECTRONICS – Educational electronics kits that make learning circuits visual, interactive, and hands-on for children. With modular connecting blocks and an online platform of guided lessons, Loop Electronics sparks curiosity and teaches the basics of electricity in a fun, intuitive way.

In 2024, student business pAiback won the enterprise award at Champions of Champions.  pAiback was founded and developed by University of Southampton aeronautical engineering PHD student, Morgan Taylor, alongside co-founders Tom Alner and Jason Lucking. The platform takes advantage of dynamic pricing and the removal of change fees, using real-time price monitoring to automatically secure refunds or e-credits when prices drop after booking. Unlike other price protection services, pAiback offers full transparency and unlimited savings on a win-win, commission-only basis.

In 2023, the main Big Ideas prize of £3,000 plus mentoring was won by Meta Futura Aerospace from the University of Southampton, which also picked up the in-show Audience Prize of £500. Their MetaFlex innovation is a ground-breaking attitude and orbit control system designed for space organisations, satellite operators and research institutions.

In 2022, the Big Ideas first prize of £3,000 plus People’s Vote and Audience Vote Prizes of £1,000 were awarded to Amara Automotive from the University of Southampton. Amara’s Elecy is a four-wheeled, weatherproof e-bike, offering crash protection, that focuses on minimising emissions during both the production and operation stages, and allows for upgrading rather than replacement.

Furthermore, the Startup Business runner-up prize of £1,500 was awarded to AMRSS from the University of Southampton: AMRSS provides AI solutions for real-time aerodynamic performance analysis, to enable engineers within the automotive, aerospace and renewables sectors to improve decision-making throughout the design, test, and deployment stages.

Find out more about the EIBC Champion of Champions Final here: https://www.eibc.org.uk/champion-of-champions/