University of Oxford
Creating a world where everyone has the tools to lead a hopeful and flourishing life
Supporting social ventures
We are a collective of UK universities working collaboratively to support and raise awareness of mission-driven businesses emerging from our ecosystems.
We have an exciting new initiative, ImpactU, to provide training to UK universities and funding to pre-seed social ventures from English universities.
Bringing change, to people and places, by accelerating the development of impact-led projects
Each member university of ImpactU is passionate about delivering positive impact from innovative solutions focussing on health, wellbeing, society and the environment. Our projects emerge from research, student entrepreneurial activity, accelerators, and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Our ImpactU training, led by LSE and available across the UK will provide learning and support to founders and universities.
Learn more about the benefit of becoming a university member here.
Our ImpactU Pathfinder award aims to accelerate companies towards investment or growth.
Lead Partner Universities
Member Universities
Anglia Ruskin University
Aston University
Birmingham City University
Brunel University of London
Cardiff University
Cranfield University
Durham University
Henley Business School
Heriot-Watt University
Imperial College London
Keele University
Kingston University
Lancaster University
Loughborough University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Norwich University of the Arts
The Open University
University of Bath
University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
University of Buckingham
University of Essex
University of Exeter
University of Glasgow
University of Greenwich
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
University of Manchester
University of Nottingham
University of Plymouth
University of Reading
University of Southampton
University of Surrey
University of Warwick
University of York
Universities: Why become a Member of ImpactU?
Access to Training: your staff and students will gain access to specialised training and resources to build social ventures. Equip your community with the tools they need to create meaningful change.
Eligibility for Investment: Only social ventures affiliated to English Member Universities are eligible for the ImpactU Pathfinder Awards.
Discover hidden talent: The designated main contact at your university will receive feedback and guidance for applicants, so you might discover entrepreneurs and start-ups that you weren’t on your radar.
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Offering a comprehensive suite of resources, including over 100 live workshops, 25+ expert-led online courses, and personalised learning paths, the HUB provides unparalleled access to training, events, and networking opportunities – all freely available to ImpactU member Universities on the ImpactU HUB.
Calling all UK students and academics! Embark on a journey of social entrepreneurship with our interactive kick off session for a high level overview of social ventures and why you might want to consider starting one.
The Social Venture Pathway is a self-guided programme to help you launch your own social venture. Explore it now.
We now have a unique opportunity for a dynamic and motivated Investment Associate to join our team at Oxford University Innovation.
A potent consortium of academic institutions, spearheaded by Oxford University Innovation (OUI), has secured a £1.5m bid titled “Seed Funding, Training, and Support for Social Ventures”, which will fortify and amplify the trajectory of university social ventures.
