Power Up London

Power Up London is an accelerator programme for London-based, early-stage socially impactful initiatives and organisations that are addressing social and/or environmental issues by providing services to underrepresented communities.

The programme is delivered by Big Issue Invest, with funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a central pillar of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda, to invest in communities and support local businesses. The aim of the programme is to enable early-stage social enterprises to build structures to ensure they can start generating traded income early on, thereby increasing their resilience and financial sustainability in the long term.

What's on offer

Power Up London will deliver accelerator support and grant funding to two cohorts between November 2023 and March 2025. Each cohort will provide up to 20 participants with a fully funded package of intensive non-financial assistance valued at £10,000, which includes a mix of business support, training workshops and networking opportunities delivered weekly over four months.

Participants will also benefit from introductions to other social leaders in the cohort, mentors, and investors, along with the possibility to access up to £22,000 in grant funding for their organisation on successful completion of the programme.

Grantees will have six months to spend their grant funding, which can be used to provide cash flow to launch new products or services, take existing products or services to new markets, and safeguard or create new jobs in their local community.

Eligibility requirements

Open to early-stage, impact-first initiatives, charities or registered organisations.