Venture Further Awards 2026 - Audience Attendance
Watch the Venture Further Awards 2026 Live!
On Tuesday 16th June 2026, see the UK’s premier university startup competition in action. VFA offers over £200,000 in equity-free prizes and £150,000+ in tech perks to help founders turn ideas into market-ready ventures. Hosted by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC), it’s your chance to watch Manchester’s top student and alumni innovators pitch live.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday 16th June 2026
Grand Finale Pitching Day Time: 9:30am – 3:00pm (Location: Alliance Manchester Business School)
Awards Ceremony Time: 5:30pm – 8:30pm (Location: Whitworth Hall)
You can choose to attend:
Grand Finale Pitching Day only – watch ventures pitch across four tracks
Awards Ceremony only – join the evening event with finalists, judges, and networking
Both events – experience the full day from pitches to celebration
Grand Finale Pitching Day (9:30am - 3pm)
Selected ventures will compete across four specialised tracks, presenting their ideas live to panels of expert judges. All tracks run at the same time, and as an audience member, you can attend one track only, so choose the session that interests you most.
The Freelancer Track – Solo practitioners, creatives, and service-based professionals building independent ventures.
The Social Impact Track – Ventures prioritising social or environmental impact, following the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit.
The Research-Led Disruption Track – Deep-tech innovations and advanced materials with potential to disrupt industries.
The Startup Track – Scalable ventures focused on digital disruption, product innovation, and consumer brands.
Awards Ceremony – (5:30pm - 8:30pm)
Finalists will pitch to expert judges and a live audience of investors, industry leaders, and peers. Winners will deliver a “victory pitch”, followed by drinks, food, networking, and celebration.