Finalists announced for Venture Further’s social catergory

The finalists for the four prize categories in this year’s Venture Further competition have been announced.

This article looks into the people and ideas behind the four finalists in the social category. The other shortlists, for the business, digital and research catergories, have also been announced.

This year’s finals take place on Wednesday the 3rd of May, at Whitworth Hall, University of Manchester.

Venture Further invites students and recent alumni to submit a business proposal to an expert judging panel of enterprise and business professionals.

There are four prize categories to choose from – business, social, digital and research – with the winners receiving a £10,000 cash injection to get their businesses off the ground.

The social category recognises businesses that will improve the lives of people and communities. This year’s ideas range from empowering the homeless to youth training, and celebrating the LGBT+ community to tutoring disadvantaged students.

The entries that made it through to this year’s final four in the social category are below:

Second Shave Barbers CIC

Dr. Salman Malik and Jamshed Malik

Homelessness is a global problem that could affect any one of us. Second Shave Barbers is a barbershop that will empower homeless people to develop new skills as a professional barber and re-enter the world of work. The team knows that barbering can be an effective tool to alleviate homelessness – and create a new wave of entrepreneurs.

Somewhere MCR CIC

Kathryn Pierce

Somewhere MCR Community Interest Company is a new dynamic social enterprise designed to support and celebrate the LGBT+ community through innovative partnerships and cultural projects. The organisation will create and deliver value as a new arts-based LGBT+ creative heritage and learning hub, through the celebration of LGBT+ arts, culture, heritage and enterprise.

The Science League

Hamza Arsbi and Farah Abu Hamdan

The Science League is an educational platform combining online gaming with affordable hands-on learning to train children and youth on creative skills for the 21st century, and challenge them to be change agents in their communities.

Bounceback Education

Duncan Swainsbury, Eve Chancellor, Jessica Stalmach, Ashton Coates and Neil Stewart

Bounceback Education is a ‘buy one, donate one’ tutoring service giving disadvantaged students in the North West access to free tuition. Following a successful pilot, the team is building an online platform that will level up the private tuition market across the UK and tackle inequality in the education sector.