Social Ventures Proof of Concept Fund

Social Ventures POC Fund

Supports UCL social ventures with proof-of-concept guidance that helps promising ideas become operational solutions.

UCL Business (UCLB) is the technology transfer and commercialization arm of University College London. The Social Ventures Proof of Concept Fund is an internal translational grant for UCL staff and researchers developing ventures with social impact potential derived from UCL research or involving UCL intellectual property. Awards of up to £20,000 per project include non-cash support in the form of business planning advice and IP guidance from UCLB's dedicated Social Ventures team, making the effective value of each award higher than the cash component alone.

Eligibility is restricted to UCL staff and researchers; the product or service being developed must derive from UCL research or involve UCL IP. Applicants must demonstrate potential for meaningful social impact and present a clear plan for how the venture will progress beyond the funded period. The program focuses on technology-enabled learning, wellbeing resources, long-term condition management, AI and data solutions, crime science, and support for underserved populations. There is no fixed application window or public submission portal; the program operates on a rolling continuous basis and applications are initiated by contacting the Social Ventures team directly — Ana Lemmo Charnalia (a.charnalia@uclb.com) is the named contact.

Projects are assessed on the credibility of the social impact thesis, the relevance of the UCL research base to the proposed venture, and the realism of the post-award progression plan. The fund sits alongside UCLB's Commercial POC Fund and IO (Ideas to Opportunities) programme as part of a tiered internal translational support ladder at UCL. Researchers at an early ideation stage are typically directed toward IO first, while those with a defined IP base and a clear social venture model are the strongest candidates for this fund.