Year Here

  Launch a social startup in a year Year Here is an immersive full-time course in social innovation, kicking off on 31st August 2020. We believe that starting a scalable social business could be your best shot at impact – and that learning on the frontline is where you need to start.  Over 10 months, you’ll gain deep insight into complex social issues and learn to build entrepreneurial solutions to society’s toughest problems – from the housing crisis to knife crime.   If selected to become a Fellow, you will: Get frontline insights. You’ll spend the first 5 months working with the people hit hardest by austerity and gaining deep user insight. To deepen your systemic understanding, you’ll also work on briefs set by clients like Crisis, the NHS and the Greater London Authority. Meet your co-founders. Our Fellows have an average of 7 years’ career experience in fields ranging from biochemistry to law, and from journalism to engineering. They will become your support network, your collaborators and, ultimately, your co-founders. Build scalable ventures. You’ll test and build your own social business, with the potential to progress to our Incubator and launch it into the world. Venture teams are guided by expert partners like the Boston Consulting Group, ForwardPMX and BNYMellon. Learn from expert faculty. You’ll get a personal mentor and receive tonnes of training from a faculty of more than 80 social innovation leaders – from award-winning social designer Lauren Currie OBE to Nishant Lalwani, Director of Investments at Omidyar Network .   Beyond Year Here Finish the programme with a venture and you’ll get seed funding, business support, desk-space and client introductions to launch your business.   Our alumni have launched 33 social ventures including:  Cracked It , the tech repair service staffed by ex-gang members. Social Enterprise of the Year 2018 and 2019. Birdsong the feminist fashion brand selling wardrobe stapes made by women paid a fair wage. Featured in Vogue, Dazed and Vice. Appt , a HealthTech business that uses behavioural economics to help patients manage their long-term conditions – with multi-year investment from Innovate UK. Chatterbox , an online language tuition platform powered by refugee talent, featured in The Economist, Tech Crunch and The Times.   Those that don’t start a venture join other fast-growing social startups like The Difference, BeyondMe, Switchback and Matr.   Our impact Since launching in 2013 at 10 Downing St, we have worked with 212 Fellows who collectively have contributed 133,200 hours to crucial frontline services. Our 33 alumni ventures have raised millions in investment and reached over 5,000 service users to date.   No course fees Unlike a Master's degree or MBA, we have no tuition fee. This is a reimagination of higher education. Rather than spending a year in a lecture hall and paying £10,000 for the privilege, we challenge you to learn by doing – working on real social impact projects. Our partners pay us to be involved and that covers your tuition costs. To widen access to the programme we have a small number of means-tested bursaries available, and offer additional support through TfL discounts and recommendations for flexible paid work and affordable accommodation.   Selection Process We’re looking for people with a solid professional skillset and an entrepreneurial track record. This doesn’t mean you have to have started your own business before but you will need to demonstrate that you have a bias towards action. Drive, passion for social justice and a strong learning orientation are also essential. It’s a 3-stage process: a written application, video interview and half-day selection workshop. Typically, 1 in 10 applicants secure a place on the programme.   Apply by midnight Sunday 26 April 2020.