Bright SCIdea Challenge 2027
Turn a science-based idea into a business plan, with free training and a £5,000 prize. Teams of three to four students.
What it is
A five-month competition run by the Society of Chemical Industry. You enter as a team of three or four with a plausible scientific concept that has societal benefit, then get access to free business training led by industry experts, templates for every part of a business plan, and networking with entrepreneurs, investors and patent lawyers. The strongest plans are invited to pitch to a panel at SCI London in March.
Run by SCI. We're listing it because the training is free, the entry bar is an idea rather than a company, and it's open to any university student — undergraduate or postgraduate, any institution.
Key dates
- 11 November 2026 — team entry and idea submitted
- 24–25 November 2026 — free business training workshops
- 22 January 2027 — business plan submitted
- 23 March 2027 — final pitches at SCI London
Details
| Deadline | Wednesday 11 November 2026 |
| Prize | £5,000 to the winning team |
| Cost | Free to enter |
| Who it's for | Teams of 3–4 university students, UK or international. Any discipline, though the idea must be science-based. |
| What you get | Video training course, business plan templates, and networking with entrepreneurs, investors and patent lawyers — regardless of whether you reach the final |
| Organiser | Society of Chemical Industry · BrightScidea@soci.org |
Enter
An idea, a team of four, £5,000.
Entries close Wednesday 11 November.
