Exploring Entrepreneurship Challenge (EEC)

Exploring Entrepreneurship Challenge

Supports Strathclyde community teams building entrepreneurial skills through a practical team challenge program.

The Exploring Entrepreneurship Challenge (EEC) is a four-month team competition run by Strathclyde Inspire, the entrepreneurship unit of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. The programme is designed for complete beginners — no prior entrepreneurial experience, existing business idea, or pre-formed team is required to enter. The total prize fund is £2,000, distributed among winning teams at the annual grand final. Three finalist teams compete at the grand final for a share of the prize.

The EEC is open to everyone in the Strathclyde community, making it the broadest-eligibility programme in the Strathclyde Inspire portfolio. Teams form at a February launch event and attend structured skill-building workshops covering value creation, forward thinking, communication, collaboration, and resilience before developing ideas that address community needs. The 2026 cohort followed a timeline running from a Tuesday 3 February launch event, through workshops on 8 and 17 February, a pitch submission deadline on 2 March, and a grand final on 1 April 2026. Registration for the 2027 cohort is expected to open in August or September 2026 based on the 2026 cycle pattern.

The EEC sits at the entry point of the Strathclyde Inspire programme ladder, serving as a structured introduction to entrepreneurial thinking before participants progress to higher-stakes competitions such as the Innovation Challenge or the SIEF Entrepreneurs Fund. Its design as a fully facilitated, team-based challenge makes it particularly suitable for students who want to explore startup thinking in a low-risk, supported environment without needing a developed concept or technical background at the point of entry.