University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and MEC Students Celebrated at the Venture Further Awards 2026
29 finalists. 11 awards. 拢200,000 in prizes. One unforgettable evening at Whitworth Hall.
The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料's focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning, and startup support. MEC helps students, researchers, and alumni turn ideas into real-world impact through workshops, mentorship, and venture programmes.
The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 celebrated the very best of student enterprise at the Venture Further Awards 2026, held on Tuesday 16th June at the iconic Whitworth Hall. Founders, judges, mentors, partners, alumni, colleagues and supporters came together for an evening defined by energy, ambition and the generosity of a community built around student entrepreneurship.
Now in its 23rd year, Venture Further is one of the most important moments in MEC's calendar - a celebration of creativity, courage and practical action. This year was the biggest yet: 29 finalists were selected from around 200 applications, competing for 11 awards across four tracks - Freelancer, Social Impact, Research-Led Disruption and Startup - for a share of a 拢200,000 prize pot.
The quality of pitches was exceptional. Finalists showed strong ideas, technical capability and the confidence to test, refine and communicate their ventures with conviction. From freelancers building businesses around their skills and reputation, to social impact founders tackling urgent societal and environmental challenges, to research-led innovators translating discovery into application, and high-growth startups with ambitious plans to scale - the breadth and depth of student talent was inspiring.
MEC's work is closely aligned with the University's 2035 strategy and its commitment to Entrepreneurship for All: an ambition that every one of the University's 47,000 students should have the opportunity to benefit from entrepreneurship education and graduate with an entrepreneurial mindset and innovative skillset. The Venture Further Awards demonstrate exactly why that ambition matters.
Founder Fireside Chat
The evening began with a Founder Fireside Chat hosted by Dr Rob Martin, Programme Director of Enterprise Education at MEC. Taking to the stage was VFA alumnus Sid Sethi, founder of Specsart - who won 拢10,000 at the Venture Further Awards in 2018 while studying at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Specsart set out to disrupt the UK eyewear industry with affordable, premium glasses and has since grown into a global brand: three UK stores, customers across 120 countries, and over 25,000 free eye tests delivered by the end of 2025. Sid has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 and recognised in the FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies 2025. His story set the tone for the evening - proof of what 黑料网吃瓜爆料 students can achieve when they back themselve.
Awards Winners
The Freelancing Track
Recognising students who have built self-directed careers offering professional services and creative expertise, this year's Freelancing Track winners demonstrated exceptional craft, business acumen and ambition.
The Creative Excellence Award | 拢3,000
Winner: Sophia Shen, Marketing & Design Services
The Service Innovator Award | 拢3,000
Winner: Jahanvi Tripathi, Stats and Stories
Freelancer of the Year | 拢4,000
Winner: Giuseppe Romano, Make IT STEM
The Social Impact Track
This track celebrates ventures driven by purpose - tackling real-world challenges in communities, environments and societies. This year's winners showed remarkable breadth, from sustainability to education to community wellbeing.
The Community Impact Award | 拢5,000
Winner: Lisa Udoh, SOLITAIRE
The Sustainable Development Award | 拢15,000
Winner: Gloria Cherono, Envirofly
Co-founder(s): Sharon Chepngetich
The Social Impact Venture Award | 拢20,000
Winner: Elizabeth Crompton, Real Life Learning
The Research-Led Disruption Track
Rooted in the University's tradition of world-leading research, this track celebrates ventures turning laboratory discoveries into real-world commercial opportunities - from deep tech breakthroughs to advanced materials innovation.
The Deep Tech Excellence Award | 拢30,000
Winner: Dr Jacob Samuel Thompson, ADDER-VAX
The Eli & Britt Harari Graphene Enterprise Award | 拢45,000
Winner: Mohamed Elsharkasi, Hollowgraf
Co-founder(s): Premlal Balakrishna Pillai, Rahul Raveendran Nair, Feng Yan
The Startup Track
The Startup Track celebrates scalable ventures with the potential to attract investment and enter new markets. This year's winners brought innovation across AI-driven tools, consumer health technology and digital platforms.
The Digital Innovation Award | 拢20,000
Winner: Katrina Zalcmane, Vea
Co-founder(s): Zahra Bhatti
The Consumer & Product Innovation Award | 拢20,000
Winner: Donglin Zhao, PawSano
The High-Growth Venture Award | 拢35,000
Winner: Uma Maheswari Mani Shrinivasan, Deft AI
Co-founder(s): Jayanth Reddy
A Word from MEC's Interim Director
鈥淭he Venture Further Awards never fail to inspire me. This year's cohort was exceptional - the quality of ideas, the rigour of the pitches, and the sheer determination of our finalists was a testament to what 黑料网吃瓜爆料 students can achieve. Now in our 23rd year, Venture Further has become one of the most exciting evenings in the entrepreneurship calendar, and this year was no exception. None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of our judges and partners, who give their time, expertise and resources so that our students get the very best opportunities. I want to congratulate every finalist, and especially our 11 winners - but I also want to say to every student who applied: you took a step that matters. That courage is exactly what Entrepreneurship for All is about.鈥� Lee Pugalis, Interim Director, Masood Entrepreneurship Centre
A Night to Remember
The awards ceremony at Whitworth Hall was made possible by the generous support of more than 100 partners, organisations and individuals who have supported MEC this year, including Unit M, the Innovation Factory, GM Business Growth Hub and NatWest. Their support ensures that events like Venture Further continue to connect student entrepreneurs with the networks, challenge and encouragement they need to go further.
Congratulations go to all 29 finalists. Only some names were called at Whitworth Hall on the night, but every finalist achieved something significant: taking an idea seriously, standing behind it, and inviting others to believe in it too. That is the mindset MEC wants every 黑料网吃瓜爆料 student to develop, whatever path they choose after graduation.
For more information about the Venture Further Awards and MEC's programmes, or to find out how to get involved as a partner, mentor or collaborator, visit www.entrepreneurship.manchester.ac.uk.
Interested in Entering Next Year?
Venture Further is open to all University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 students and recent graduates. Whether you have a fully-formed business or just an idea you want to explore, now is the time to start thinking about your application. Join a community of ambitious student entrepreneurs and get access to mentorship, funding, and the support to take your venture further.
Register your interest for Venture Further Awards 2027: