Inspire100 Pitching Competition
Supports University of Strathclyde startups and spinouts through Inspire100 pitching events and prize opportunities.
Inspire100 is a biannual pitching competition run by the Stephen Young Institute for Entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, providing approximately 100 innovation-driven startups and academic spinouts the opportunity to present their ventures to entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters in a Dragon's Den-style format. The event runs approximately twice per year, with recent editions held in May and November. Prize awards range from £2,500 to £10,000, distributed across two categories: Academic Spinouts and Innovation-Driven Start-ups. Past prize winners have included MyEmploy Ltd (£10,000, November 2023) and CataNiTek Ltd (£10,000, May 2024).
Participation is open to startups and spinouts connected to the University of Strathclyde community. The event functions both as a standalone competition and as a destination event for participants completing the Strathclyde Inspire Accelerator programme, which actively prepares ventures for the Inspire100 pitch stage. The combination of cash prizes and investor exposure makes Inspire100 one of the principal early-stage funding and visibility opportunities available through the university's entrepreneurship infrastructure.
Dates for upcoming Inspire100 events are published by the Stephen Young Institute. Interested founders should contact sy-institute@strath.ac.uk or call +44 (0)141 553 6132 for details on eligibility criteria and application requirements for the next event cycle.
Innovation-driven startups and academic spinouts affiliated with the University of Strathclyde competing for prizes of £2,500–£10,000 at a biannual Dragon's Den-style pitch event.
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