Launch of £1m Challenge for Innovations to Transform Learning in the UK

This £1 million prize fund will support and reward individuals with bold ideas that have the potential to transform education and learning in the UK.

The Big Education Challenge has been established to fund innovative ideas with the potential to transform education and learning in the UK. The aim is to offer both young and experienced innovators the support needed to bring their ideas to life. The Challenge encourages submissions from people with ideas that are rooted in their own lived experience of why education and learning needs to be transformed.

There are two prizes available through this £1 million Challenge:

  • The £300,000 Groundbreaker Prize seeks aspiring innovators who want to challenge the status quo in education in the UK. Those who have an early-stage idea that could transform the way young people learn inside or outside of school will qualify. Finalists will receive grants of up to £10,000 to further develop and test their ideas. One of these finalists will win up to £50,000 to fully pilot their idea, with up to two runners up each receiving up to £25,000.
  • The £700,000 Gamechanger Prize seeks individuals with a track record of leading innovative projects or approaches with tangible social impact. Up to five finalists will receive grants of up to £50,000 to further develop and test their ideas. One of these finalists will win up to £200,000 to fully pilot their idea, with up to two runners up receiving up to £150,000 and £50,000.

For the Groundbreaker prize, young people in the UK aged 18-25 may apply. Groups of people can submit, but one individual must be named as the lead innovator. Innovators may or may not be affiliated to an organisation.

The Gamechanger prize is open to UK-based individuals aged 18 or over with a track-record of leading innovative projects. This does not need to have been in education, learning or with young people.

Entries must be submitted by midnight on 8 February 2023.

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)