Imperial’s Startup Competition of The Year.
Three Months. Five Tracks. £100,000!

The Venture Catalyst Challenge (VCC) is a world-class programme that empowers students and alumni to transform bold ideas into ventures with real-world impact. Designed to accelerate the very best early-stage startups, VCC provides founders with the visibility, mentorship, and resources they need to break out of Imperial’s ecosystem and scale globally.

Now in its 11th year, VCC has a proven track record of identifying and nurturing pioneering founders and ventures. For 2025, we are proud to welcome 25 exceptional teams, selected from hundreds of applications across Imperial.

The impact speaks for itself: alumni have gone on to raise over £200 million in funding and create more than 750 jobs worldwide. Success stories include Notpla, winner of the Earthshot Prize for Building a Waste-Free World, alongside a growing list of startups tackling some of the planet’s most pressing challenges.

What sets VCC apart is its rigorous selection and acceleration process. Startups are assessed for the strength of their ideas, the scale of their potential impact, and the drive of their founding teams. Top-performing ventures receive in-depth feedback, expert mentorship, and access to Imperial’s network of industry leaders and investors, culminating in a high-profile final where winners are awarded across five tracks.

VCC 2025 is more than a competition. It’s where the next generation of innovators take their first steps toward transforming industries, shaping society, and building the future.