Santander X UK Awards
Pays UK university ventures, startups and SMEs a share of £150,000 in equity-free cash prizes through a national pitching competition.
Entrants submit a Stage 1 application, reviewed on a rolling basis, and shortlisted businesses move through a Stage 2 application, then a virtual pitch video. Every applicant, whether or not they progress, gets invited to expert-led webinars covering growth topics like cyber security and raising finance. Submissions are narrowed to 90 shortlisted businesses, then to 30 semi-finalists (10 per categ…
The competition runs three categories: University (early-stage, university-linked ventures with an MVP preparing to launch), Startup (UK-registered businesses in their first 18 months of trading), and SME (UK-registered businesses trading over 18 months). It is open to any sector — the criteria are about company stage, revenue and funding raised, not industry.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see what you submit
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up
Guides for this application
All guides →Grant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
DocumentsGrant Pitch Deck Example: Slides, Storyline, and Video Script
See a grant pitch deck example with slide outline, EIC-style pitch logic, demo-video script, and grant-vs-investor deck differences.
DocumentsEvaluation Plan for Grant Proposal: Template and Example
Learn how to write an evaluation plan for a grant proposal, including evaluation questions, indicators, data sources, timing, owners, and reporting logic.
More from Santander
All grants from this funder →Similar grants
Browse the directory →Santander X Portugal Award - Startup
🇵🇹Santander X · Portugal
Splits a €20,000 prize among three Portuguese startups, plus a spot in the global final.
ERC Public Engagement with Research Award
🇪🇺ERC · European Union
Awards ERC grant holders up to EUR 10,000 for outstanding public engagement with their ERC-funded research.
Outstanding Female Scientist Prize
🇪🇺EDCTP3 · European Union
Awards EUR 20,000 to a woman scientist recognised for global-health research and mentorship in sub-Saharan Africa.
Quantum Dice Use Case Challenge
🇬🇧Quantum Dice · United Kingdom
Pays up to £5,000 to teams solving real-world problems with probabilistic computing.
Scientific Leadership Prize (Man, EU)
🇪🇺EDCTP3 · European Union
Awards EUR 15,000 to a male mid-career scientist based in the EU or an associated country for global-health leadership.
Scientific Leadership Prize (Woman, EU)
🇪🇺EDCTP3 · European Union
Awards EUR 15,000 to a woman mid-career scientist based in the EU or an associated country for global-health leadership.