Find out how Startup Sussex can kickstart your new business.
About the competition
Startup Sussex is the University’s annual entrepreneurship competition, an opportunity for students and recent graduates to win up to £5,000 to fund your business or social enterprise idea, as well as access to business support.
Startup Sussex prioritises innovative ideas and viable business plans, and rewards those who want to create a better world, with additional prizes on offer for social impact and startups that address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Previous winners include Darren Tenkorang, founder of TRIM-IT, Lucy Hughes of MarinaTex, and Plastic4Change founder, Gladys Mwamba.
Startup Sussex isn’t just a funding competition - it’s also a community of entrepreneurial students and graduates, and a chance to learn and practise key entrepreneurial skills that can benefit you in Startup Sussex and beyond.
Startup Sussex launch event
Come to the launch event on Tuesday 10 February 2026, 5pm-6.30pm, in the Student Centre to find out more about becoming an entrepreneur, entering the compeititon, and bringing your ideas to life.
Prizes
Startup Sussex prizes are designed to support the development of innovative ideas and solutions to real-world challenges.
- Main prize: £5,000 plus business support
- Runner up: £2,000 plus business support
- Social impact prize: £5,000 plus business support, for ideas that demonstrate a clear focus on solving any of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, or look to generate a positive social impact on society
- Social impact runner up: £2,000 plus business support, for ideas that demonstrate a clear focus on solving any of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, or look to generate a positive social impact on society
- Three bonus prizes of £1,000 plus business support, for ideas that promote University of Sussex’s three strategic goals: Human Flourishing, Environmental Sustainability, and Digital and Data Futures.
Competition winners will also be awarded a place on the Momentum Incubator, a year-long business launch programme offered in collaboration with Sussex Innovation Centre.
How to enter
Startup Sussex is open to you if you are a current Sussex student, or up to three years after graduation. We encourage all students with business or social enterprise ideas to apply.
Applications will open Monday 9 February 2026 and close Friday 20 March 2026 at midnight.
To enter you must:
- submit a Startup Sussex Business Plan
- produce a slide deck providing insights into the vision, strategy, operations, and launch plan of your business or social enterprise.
- The Startup Sussex business plan
- sign up for five free topical workshops that can help you develop your business plan. Slide decks and speakers notes will be made accessible to anyone not able to attend
- submit the Startup Sussex Business Plan through CareerHub.
Each section of of this form will be scored individually, so make sure that you answer each question in full.
- Slide deck
When reviewing and scoring your slide deck, we will be assessing each of the following sections:
Hook or headline statement
A short, attention-grabbing introduction to your solution, problems you’re solving or the topic of your proposal – grab the reader’s attention.
Problem
A clear explanation of the key problems and pain points which you’ll be looking to solve through your solution.
Solution
A concise overview of your product, service or offering, and how this solves the problems previously identified.
Impact
An explanation of how your solution works and the benefits it provides, or impact it has for your target users. If relevant, consider linking the impact with related UN’s Sustainable Development Goals or other impact frameworks.
Customers
Outline and describe the identified customers/users of your service or offering; what pain points are they suffering and how does your offering resolve these?
Competition and landscape (growth opportunity and market)
- Analysis of the potential competitors for your offering, including strengths, weaknesses, and ways in which you differentiate yourself – what makes this innovative or stand out?
- Analysis of the market in which you would be operating, including realistic growth potential and forecast market share and/or revenue.
Team and background
An introduction to the key members of the team, their role/s within the startup and relevant skills and experience.
Progress
Outline any progress you've been able to make to date in order to validate your idea, such as undertaking market research, obtaining funding, generating sales.
How do you plan to spend Startup Sussex money to move your idea forward?
- you can win up to £5,000
- be specific about your strategy for spending this funding in a way that will meaningfully develop your business in this early stage. Research costs to ensure they are realistic.
Research and statistics
Applicants are also invited to include a slide showing additional research, statistics and appropriate referencing of personal or external research.
Presentation
You will also be evaluated based on your overall presentation (layout, format, imagery, cohesiveness):
- look at an example of a good quality slide deck. Please note, the specific sections required by Startup Sussex are not all covered in this example. You can find some additional examples of pitch decks by well-known companies, and further guidance on creating a good one
- your slides must include all of the sections mentioned above, in the order given
- there is a maximum limit of 15 slides
- if shortlisted, you will be asked to produce a condensed and refined pitch deck to use on pitching day.
Shortlisted applicants will be selected to pitch in front of a select panel of judges, including alumnus founders, business owners and industry experts.
Those shortlisted will be announced in early April and will pitch at the Startup Sussex Pitch and Award Ceremony on Tuesday 21 April 2026, 2.30pm-8pm, in the Student Centre.
Support and Guidance
Before submitting your application, you are encouraged to attend a series of five free workshops designed by the Entrepreneurship team to support you to develop your business idea(s) and sharpen your application using the Design Thinking process. If you attend these workshops, you can get direct support with your idea development, and will learn and practise key entrepreneurial skills that can benefit you in the Startup Sussex competition and beyond.
Startup Sussex Workshop 1: A Valuable Idea
17 February 2026, 5pm-6.45pm in Woodland 2/3 of the Student Centre
Startup Sussex Workshop 2: Customers & Competitors
24 February 2026, 5pm-6.45pm in Woodland 2/3, Student Centre
Startup Sussex Workshop 3: My Business Model
3 March 2026, 5pm-6.45pm in Woodland 2/3, Student Centre
Startup Sussex Workshop 4: Preparing a Pitch
10 March 2026, 5pm-6.45pm in Woodland 2/3, Student Centre
Startup Sussex Workshop 5: Pitch Practice Spotlight Session
17 March 2026, 5pm-7pm in Woodland 2/3, Student Centre
Booking information will be provided here when available.
If you cannot attend the Startup Sussex workshops, enrol on our Canvas site to learn more about the competition, and access learning and workshop overview materials.
You can also book a 1-1 with a member of the Entrepreneurship team to discuss your ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and identify potential next steps. You can book either a face-to-face or an online session.
Sign up to the Entrepreneurship newsletter to stay updated about support sessions and mentoring opportunities for Startup Sussex.
If you have any questions regarding the competition, or require any additional support or assistance with your application, please drop us an email at entrepreneurship@sussex.ac.uk.
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