Nuffield Health to sponsor Ingenuity programme

Ingenuity, founded at the University of Nottingham in 2016, supports social mobility by providing seed grants and mentorship to innovators looking to start new enterprises. The Ingenuity Programme is an impact-driven business creation programme, which will engage innovators from under-represented and underserved groups across the UK. Our sponsorship will encourage applicants to address one of three areas: improving health, building stronger communities and climate change. To date, Ingenuity has supported nearly 3,000 innovators and delivered almost £1M of seed funding, including The Anxiety Map Programme, which created a network of venues trained in anxiety accessibility for people living with anxiety or mental ill health.

Our investment will see funds over a two-year period go directly to programme winners. Participants will also benefit from the insights of a range of our experts, who will act as mentors on the programme. The first application period is open now, with four winners to be announced in May 2022; Community Challenge Champion, Health Challenge Champion, Climate Challenge Champion and the overall Impact Entrepreneur of the Year 2022. 

Our Head of Charity, Brendan Street said, “We are really excited to become a platinum partner to Ingenuity, and for the opportunity to work with, and support, people from under-served groups to help bring their ideas to life and make meaningful impact in the communities in which they live. We are all too aware that health inequalities are experienced in local communities across the nation, and we hope through this partnership, by nurturing tomorrow’s talent, we can help reduce these to build sustainable communities and ultimately a healthier nation.

Elizabeth Smith, Head of Ingenuity Programme, said, “Over the last six years we have been committed to supporting social mobility through social enterprise, and we are delighted to be continuing this mission with the support of Nuffield Health. Enterprise plays a vital role in building community resilience, tackling health inequalities and developing more sustainable ways of living. We look forward to working with communities to give them the skills, networks and routes to funding to develop solutions that can deliver real change."

Last updated Wednesday 9 February 2022

First published on Wednesday 9 February 2022