We are delighted to announce that MA Governance, Development & Public Policy student Abhishek Saini has been awarded the prestigious Elevate grant of £4,000 by the University of Sussex for his volunteering reward platform VolCard.
Here Abhishek gives his advice for other students thinking of applying for funding opportunities such as this, while studying at IDS. You can watch an excerpt of his interview in the video, or read list of tips is below.
“Earlier this year I was selected as one of the top eight finalists in Startup Sussex, which is the University’s long-running ideas competition for students and recent graduates. I was awarded £500 as well as entry to the University’s six-week Summer Accelerator Programme, where 20 other entrants pitched their start-ups for an opportunity to win the cash grant and entry to a year of incubation at the Sussex Innovation Centre.
1) Enrol with the Entrepreneurship Team at the University of Sussex to find out about the grants available
If you already have an idea, prepare a basic pitch deck or write about it. If you are still thinking, join the Sussex Ideas Lab to learn about marketing, consumer personas, and pitch decks. My advice is that whether you have an idea or not, please attend this session to learn and revisit it.
Here are a few competitions where students can participate and win different grants:
- Elevate Grants – £2,000
- Startup Sussex Award – £10,000
- Big Ideas Lab – GBP £10,000 and a trip to California
Also, there are other programmes, such as the 6-week summer accelerator programme and the 12-month incubation option.
2) Don’t waste any time!
My advice is to enrol yourself with the Entrepreneurship Team at the University of Sussex from day one so you don’t miss any opportunities while you are here at IDS.
3) Focus on what you can learn, not winning
Don’t worry about winning. Focus on learning throughout the process and using feedback to improve your idea. It’s more about refining your idea than winning.
4) Make the most of the support offered by the Entrepreneurship Team
Take help from the University of Sussex’ Entrepreneurship Team at different stages. They are really helpful in terms of preparing your pitch or discussing any challenges you may have while preparing your business plan.
5) Be organised!
Plan in advance. Because there are different academic deadlines, you have to plan the different startup applications so you don’t miss any opportunities.”
