Blood donation, braille and virtual reality for phobias among finalists in £50k student social entrepreneurship contest

A platform encouraging blood donation with community rewards, a safeguarding app for events, data insights for homelessness charities, a companionship platform connecting students to elderly people, affordable braille technology improving education for students, and virtual reality therapy for phobias. 

These are the innovations of six student social entrepreneurs selected to pitch at Ignite, the annual funding contest for social start-ups emerging from UK universities.

Created by the Ford Family Foundation, the finalists will pitch for a share of a £50k prize pot on the evening of 21 October at an event hosted at Barclays Innovation Hub in Shoreditch, London.

The innovation hub is part of Barclays Eagle Labs, a large tech entrepreneurial network, which provides support to start-up and scale-up businesses, particularly those that are focused on technology and innovation.

Alongside a share of the cash, the six social venture finalists will each receive pitching and bespoke accelerator support from Barclays Eagle Labs, as well as access to digital resources.

And if the innovations are successful in their growth plans, the initial £50k is likely to grow too – last year’s Ignite finalists shared a further £280k for their start-up businesses, after the inaugural Ignite event at The Shard.

Tony Ford, founder of the Ford Family Foundation, said that the standard of this year’s applications had been “outstanding”.

He added: “The calibre of founders speaks to the extraordinary talent emerging from universities across the UK. Each of the ventures we are celebrating through Ignite demonstrates the kind of entrepreneurial talent and social purpose that we believe will shape the future. It is a privilege to support and showcase their work.”

The calibre of founders speaks to the extraordinary talent emerging from universities across the UK... the kind of entrepreneurial talent and social purpose that we believe will shape the future

- Tony Ford

The Ignite 2025 finalists are:

WeDonate - a platform designed to encourage blood donation through community rewards to help counter national shortages. University of Chichester student Stephen King created the tool so that hospitals gain a more reliable supply of blood, donors are recognised and rewarded for their contributions, and local businesses benefit from increased custom.

Reporti - a safeguarding app designed to keep people safe at crowded events, allowing users to quickly report incidents such as harassment, assault or unsafe behaviour. Imperial College and Royal College of Art student Gracie Broom created the platform to ensure vulnerable groups have a clear, effective way to raise concerns.

Harker - a CRM system designed to support homelessness charities with vital data insights. University of Liverpool student James Barber (main picture above, with his team) is on a mission to simplify how charities record and interpret information, enabling them to improve services, strengthen funding applications, and ultimately support more people out of homelessness.

AIBŌ - a platform connecting university students with elderly people through paid companionship, founded by King’s College London student Solene Declas. Tackling loneliness among older generations and the financial pressures facing students, Solene’s ambition is to create a national network of students delivering companionship as a service.

Braille Forge - affordable braille technology to improve access to STEM education for visually impaired students. Brunel University student Jonny Parker is striving to positively influence long-term employment prospects for visually impaired learners, who currently face prohibitively expensive costs that limit access to subjects where tactile learning materials are essential.

Rephobia - Queen’s University Belfast student Liam Harte is using virtual reality to deliver accessible therapy for people living with phobias such as fear of flying, heights, or social situations. With potential applications in clinics, schools, and direct-to-consumer use, Rephobia aims to provide effective, affordable tools that help people build confidence and independence.

Ignite 2024 finalist and EQUALReach founder Giselle Gonzales will give the keynote speech at this year’s event. Her global employment platform connects refugee professionals with skilled digital work to quickly secure vital income.

The friendships, expanded networks, and support I've gained from participating in last year's Ignite competition has been invaluable

- Giselle Gonzales

Since the Ignite final, EQUALReach has secured a UK/international enterprise pilot with a Fortune 500 company, led a Bosch-funded private sector advocacy and has featured in the Jobtech Alliance’s 2025 Digital Employment Report.

Gonzales commented: “When I started my company in the UK, I never imagined I’d be pitching to a packed audience in London's iconic Shard building. The friendships, expanded networks, and support I've gained from participating in last year's Ignite competition has been invaluable. It's an honour to return now as a keynote speaker and judge to help champion the next wave of founders and ideas that drive profit and purpose.”