Mentorship Programme Grant
In context
This call is open to startups, small and medium-sized businesses and social enterprises, at idea and R&D stage, prototype and pilot stage and pre-seed. Coverage is read from the notice itself: United Kingdom.
A selective mentorship programme offering 240 hours of bespoke coaching in finance, sustainability, business models, pitching, and social innovation to twelve top teams identified through roadshows. Designed to support early-stage ventures in bioeconomy and circular-economy sectors.
About this grant
DRIVE's Mentorship Programme is a structured mentoring initiative that takes promising founders from rural areas identified through Startup Village Roadshows and equips them to compete in Europe's circular bio-based economy. Twelve finalist start-ups and teams, selected with three from each rural village, receive up to 240 hours of tailored, one-to-one mentoring delivered by five expert consortium partners. The programme is built around five complementary modules: Sustainability and Bio-based Business Models (developing sound circular business models with Consorzio Italbiotec), Social Innovation for SMEs (integrating community benefit with commercial growth through the Center for Social Innovation), Effective Pitching and Communication (developing investor pitches with AB Corporation), Investors and Digital Platforms (connecting to investment ecosystems and accessing tools via F6S), and Access to Finance and Related Funding (identifying European, national and regional funding opportunities with Kliynteh Bulgaria). By programme completion, each venture should have a business plan ready for investors, an application to regional or European funding instruments, a polished pitch, or a place in a further acceleration programme.
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Eligibility
Eligible applicants are founders from rural villages who have been selected as finalist start-ups and teams through DRIVE's Startup Village Roadshows, with a maximum of twelve finalist teams accepted (three from each rural village). The programme targets founders working in the circular bio-based economy sector operating in European rural areas.
Key requirements
- ✓Must be selected from DRIVE Rural Innovations roadshows (top 12 teams only)
- ✓Participation in 240 hours of bespoke coaching across finance, sustainability, business models, pitching, and social innovation
- ✓Focus on bioeconomy and/or circular-economy innovations
Frequently asked questions
- Who can apply for Mentorship Programme?
- Eligibility covers organisations in GB; startup, sme, social-enterprise. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.
Relevant sectors
How this compares
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- The same organisation listed 1 other similar grant here in the last 12 months.
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About this sector
Circular economy funding supports reuse, repair, remanufacturing, product redesign and secondary materials markets. Grants tend to back pilots with businesses and local authorities, while tenders buy collection, sorting and recovery services. Applicants are usually asked to show the material flows involved and who will buy the recovered output.
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