
Eli and Britt Harari Enterprise Award
This annual award aims to help students, postdoctoral researchers, and recent graduates at The University of Manchester establish new companies involving graphene or other 2D materials.
Important Links
What is the Eli and Britt Harari Enterprise Award?
The Eli and Britt Harari Competition is an annual award to help students, postdocs, and recent graduates launch companies using graphene or other 2D materials.
With prizes of £50,000 and £20,000 up for grabs, we’re looking for exciting ideas that can transform your cutting-edge tech into a real, money-making business.
This award is all about helping you take those crucial first steps to turn your research into a game-changing product or business.
Despite the big prize fund, there is no expectation that your idea will be advanced. This award is to help you take those first steps, so don’t be deterred if you are still at an early stage. This award is specifically designed to help you!
- Do you have an innovative idea that solves a problem?
- Does your idea involve Graphene or other 2D Materials?
- Is there a clear demand or need for this idea in the market?
- Does your idea have the potential to make a significant impact?
- Do you have a well-thought-out plan to bring this idea to life?
- Do you have the passion and drive to make your idea a reality?
If the answer is yes, then apply from 11th November!
If the Eli and Britt Harari Competition doesn’t feel like the right fit for you at this stage, then check out our other competitions and support for all different stages of business.
Who can apply?
- Any current student at the University of Manchester (UG, Master’s/PGT, PGR/PhD)
- Graduates from the University of Manchester within the last 2 years (on or after 1st December 2022)
- Post-doctoral researchers and research associates at The University of Manchester.
- You can submit an entry with a team of up to four people, but at least 50% of the team must be from the University of Manchester in the above categories.
What is the application process?
- Stage 1 - Submit a pitch deck (PPT/PDF) and 1 page business advert (PDF, JPG or PNGhereby 10th February at midday.Please see the support and resources section below for more information on how to do this.
- Stage 2 – If your application is successfully shortlisted, you will proceed to the final round. This will be a 10-minute pitch to a judging panel followed by 15 minutes of Q&A, and then the awards presentation the same day.
Key Dates
The key dates for the Eli & Britt Harari Award 2025 are as follows:
Activity | Deadline |
Applications Open | Monday, 11th November 2024 |
Applicant Support Session |
Tuesday, 28th January 2025, 10:00-11:00 - Online via Zoom |
Application deadline | MONDAY, 10th FEBRUARY 2025, 12:00 MIDDAY |
Eligibility Checks Carried Out | Tuesday, 11th February 2025 & Wednesday, 12th February 2025 |
Applications Sent to Judges | Thursday, 13th February 2025 |
Judges to Shortlist Applications | Thursday, 13th February 2025 - Monday, 24th February 2025 |
Finalists Informed of Result | Tuesday, 25th February 2025 |
Pitching Workshop | Tuesday, 4th March 2025, 10:00-12:00 Enterprise Zone (2.039 AMBS) |
1-2-1 Support with Scott Dean | Tuesday, 25th Feburary 2025 - Tuesday, 11th March 2025 |
Pitching Day and Results | Tuesday, 11th March 2025 |
Support and resources
If you would like support with your application, please email harari@manchester.ac.uk and we can meet with you to discuss. This will help us to connect you with experienced professionals from the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and our intellectual property rights lawyers.
- Application support pack
- Pitch Deck Example
- Poster Example
- Eli & Britt Harari 25 Terms and Conditions
- Come along to the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre for a brief presentation about the competition with some top tips from the organisers and plenty of time for Q&A. The session will also be available online: Tuesday, 28th January 10:00-11:00, Online via Zoom) - Sign up here.
FAQ
Yes, you are eligible to participate in the competition, but you must ensure that you do not breach any visa restrictions surrounding engaging in business activity.
Yes. If you meet the eligibility criteria you may enter the Harari Award with a registered business. However, the business must not have been trading for more than 2 years.
If you did not win a prize previously, you can submit the same proposal again but utilise feedback on your previous entry to strengthen your application to this year’s competition. Alternatively, you can submit an entirely new proposal.
Your team may contain up to four people, but at least 50% of the team must be current students and/or recent graduates.
Yes, but they must not exceed 50% of the team.
Your business can still be at the idea stage, but we need to see the real intention that you want to take it forward after the competition. There is no such thing as ‘too advanced’, but your business cannot have been trading longer than 2 years (on or after 1st December 2022).