Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Partnership
Supporting the third sector
Tackling health inequalities: the Mayor’s big ideas challenge for SMEs
Funding for innovations which tackle health inequalities to create a healthier and happier West Yorkshire
All small and medium-sized SME’s, including registered charities undertaking economic activity are invited to apply to the fund. This is running in addition to the Mayor’s Big Ideas Challenge For Young People
About the Mayor’s big ideas challenge: tackling health inequalities
This is a unique opportunity tailored to support West Yorkshire SMEs to accelerate their solutions by providing:
- Twenty £20,000 development grants for selected finalists
- Three £100,000 final awards for continued development and commercialisation of solutions
- Access to Nexus’s non-resident membership programme, providing not just access to a range of experts and support, but also access to its facilities
- Opportunities to connect and become part of a cohort of like-minded innovators through our events, activities and shared platforms
Access to a package of support tailored to finalists’ needs for commercialisation, covering topics such as human centered design, partnerships, commercialisation, investment readiness and more.
Entrants must be registered small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including alternative business models and registered charities undertaking economic activity, with a maximum of 249 employees. Entrants can be single organisations or consortia.
Timeline and key dates
12 February 2025 – Challenge open for entries
7 May 2025 – Entry closes
June 2025 – Announcement of 20 finalists
March 2026 – Announcement of 3 winners
Judging criteria
The main judging criteria is outlined below. For more information about this, please see the entrant handbook – which you must register your interest/email them to see.
All entries for the Mayor’s big ideas challenge: tackling health inequalities must demonstrate:
- Impact: the innovation will make a positive societal impact in West Yorkshire by reducing a recognisable health inequality
- Innovation: the solution will not duplicate what exists, will increase in maturity Technology Readiness Levels and will result in a change in practice
- Inclusion: the innovation is meaningfully designed for a relevant social cohort or community
- Feasibility: the innovation is feasible to develop within the constraints of the challenge and will result in a viable solution post-programme
- Team capability: the team has access to the skills and experience necessary to develop the innovation as proposed.
- Ethics and Safety: the innovation and the process to develop it are safe and just.
Find out more
Visit: West Yorkshire Business and Skills website: Mayor’s Big Challenge for SMEs
Sign up to one of their webinars or contact them via email: info@bigideasforhealthchallenge.org.
