Do you want to make a positive change in the world?
Are you building - or planning to build - an enterprise, product, campaign, or creative project that will help us move to a more just, sustainable and regenerative future?
Do you want to do this collaboratively? And with the support of able, committed mentors?
The 'Changemakers Catalyst Fund’ 2025 will award up to 5-6 grants of up to £2,000 each for initiatives led by Homerton students (please check the eligibiity criteria below). Apply by Application Form and a 2-min video pitch by Tuesday 29 April at 17:00
Grants will be made for establishing a social enterprise or business, supporting an existing start-up or project, developing a creative project or campaign, or research towards a new enterprise. Proposed projects can be in any field - from tech to arts, politics or business - and must be focused on public good and societal change. Wherever possible you’re encouraged to explore the possibility of using technology to achieve your aims or further innovation (but not necessarily developing the technology itself).
The fund is explicitly to support ventures at the start-up stage, where catalyst funding of this kind will make a substantive difference to the likely success of your project.
Apply by Application Form and a 2-min video pitch by Tuesday 29 April at 17:00. To see the Information & Scoring Criteria Sheets, these can be downloaded from this web page
We are grateful to Cambridge Wireless for their continuing support of this project.
We are also grateful to TTP and ARU for sponsoring two of the Catalyst Fund prizes
We are especially grateful to TTP for being the key sponsor for the showcase event taking place on Thursday 2 October 2025.
Benefits of Winning the Catalyst Fund
- Winning groups will be announced by mid-June 2025
- Winning groups will also be supported by intensive mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders via our industry partner Cambridge Wireless and Homerton’s alumni community.
- Winning groups will also have the opportunity to showcase their project (Thursday 2 October 2025, 17:00 onwards) in front of senior members of Cambridge's innovation and investor eco-system, academic colleagues and Changemaker peers.
- At this showcase event there will be further opportunities to win additional prizes as follows:
- The Ivan Baines Prizes (£1,500 and 3 months mentoring by serial entrepreneur Rupert Baines)
- The Rowland Orugboh prize (£1,000 and three months mentoring from Olu Orugboh, CEO of Synergy & Black Talent /Deputy Board Member of Cambridge Wireless)
- The Lovely Naha Foundation Prize- awarded to the most deserving female founder (£500 and 3-months mentoring by Abhi Naha, PWC Digital Accelerator Director)
You're encouraged to book a 1:1 appointment with the Changemakers team before applying to check eligibility and scope of the proposed project. Please email changemakers@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Eligibility
At time of application the lead applicant must be a current Homerton student or current Homerton Changemakers Student Ambassador
*In 2025, one Catalyst Fund grant will be sponsored by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU): the lead applicant can be from ARU, working with students from other Colleges (but with at least a minimum of one student from Homerton).
All lead applicants, including ARU students, must have attended at least 5 hours of Changemakers events in the 2 years prior to submitting an application: e.g. Mentoring Programme, Annual Residential, Core Workshops, Tuesday Conversations, Catalyst Fund Development Day One - Not your Regular Hackathon (Monday 17 February) and Catalyst Fund Development Day Two (Monday 17 March)
Project teams must comprise at least 2 people (maximum 6) and can include people from other Colleges and organisations. Team members don't have to be current Homerton students or ambassadors.
Judging Panel
The judging panel will include members of the Changemakers Team, Homerton Fellows and industry members from the Cambridge ecosystem.
Thank you to the following people for agreeing to be our esteemed list of first round Judges :
- Prof Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor (Business and Enterprise), ARU
- Lily Cheng, CEO of the Rising Network
- Dr Jerry Wu, Managing Director, LongRiver Investments
- Dave Roberts, CEO of Jabooh Software
- Dr Alison Wood, Academic Director, Homerton Changemakers
Application and Process
Apply by application form and a 2-min video pitch* by Tuesday 29 April at 17:00
For more information on the application process, timelines and requirements about Homerton Changemakers Catalyst Fund 2025, the information sheet and scoring criteria can be downloaded from this web page
- APPLY HERE USING THIS FORM (and remember to submit a 2-minute video pitch*
* The video pitch can be a summary of your initiative; a single message; or an introduction. It’s up to you. The task is to interest the judges, persuade them of the seriousness of your project, and communicate something about you and how you will work. Any standard video file format is acceptable; and the file can be shared via email by file transfer (WeTransfer, Dropbox, G-Drive etc). Please email to changemakers@homerton.cam.ac.uk
- Applicants can request between £1,000 - £2,000 per project. The budget can be used for expenses (travel and accommodation), to test specific aspects of technology, to buy technology, to develop materials, to run a campaign, to undertake a specific project with another partner organisation, or to pay interviewers or researchers. Funds may not be used solely as travel grants, to cover regular living expenses, or to pay for time whilst volunteering.
- Applications must be submitted via the online form and by email/file transfer (video pitch) to changemakers@homerton.cam.ac.uk by Tuesday 29 April at 17:00. Late applications will not be dealt with.
- Project groups must comprise at least 2 people (maximum 6) and can include people from other Colleges and organisations.
- The judging panel will include Homerton Fellows and industry members from the Cambridge ecosystem.
- All successful project groups will be informed by mid-June 2025 and will be introduced to their mentors soon after.
- All successful project group members will be required to complete a pre- and post-project survey; and to submit a post-project report (proformas will be supplied).
- Projects may also be featured on Changemakers social media, website and reports.
- All successful project groups must be available for the following dates:
- Coaching Tips on Pitching (online: Friday 4 July 14:00-16:00)
- Coaching for Showcase presentations (online: Thursday 4 September 14:00-16:00)
- Catalyst Fund Showcase evening (in person: Thursday 2 October 2025 from 17:00 onwards)
- All winning groups will also be invited to a Celebration Dinner on the evening of Friday 3 October, when the winners for the additional prizes will be announced
10. Winning teams are obliged to complete pre and post project surveys /write a final article or a LinkedIn post, and to submit an itemised expenses narrative at the project end.
Inspirations and Sources
See Ashoka's 'Everyone a Changemaker' for stories, guidance & inspiration from changemaking initiatives around the world.
Visit the Skoll Centre Blog (Saïd Business School, Oxford) for excellent examples of initiatives that make a difference; how to's; and sound examples of thinking about problem domains and responses.
Explore Indigenous and Modern's short guide on Changemaking that supports you in 'co-creating a future that is just and regenerative for all'.
Checkout Sustainable Network who are making waves in ethical investment circles and also offer brokerage/intros to angels on behalf of clients
TTP is an internationally respected product and technology development firm based in Cambridge, UK. For over 35 years, clients across a spectrum of industries including health tech, life science, deep tech and clean tech have trusted its deep domain expertise and enabling culture to create valuable new technology and deliver ground-breaking solutions, from concept through to manufacture and commercialisation.
Cambridge Wireless is the leading international community for companies involved in the research, development and application of wireless and mobile, internet, semiconductor and software technologies. With an active community of over 1000 businesses ranging from major network operators and device manufacturers to innovative start-ups and universities, CW stimulates debate and collaboration, harnesses and shares knowledge, and helps to build connections between academia and industry. CW’s 20 Special Interest Groups (SIGs) provide its members with a dynamic forum where they can network with their peers, track the latest technology trends and position their organisations in key market sectors. The CW team organise major conferences and competitions along with intimate industry networking events and dinners. They have built and run a private 5G network and accelerator in the Cambridge Science Park and also deliver bespoke R&D programmes.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) transforms lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU is the UK University of the Year (Times Higher Education Awards 2023), holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), and has been named University of the Year at the UK Social Mobility Awards. ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields, delivering impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world-leading. With main campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Writtle, ARU is the largest provider in the East of England of undergraduates employed in the health and social work sector, and one of the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the country.
