Guernsey Venture Challenge
In partnership with Blenheim Chalcot, the Digital Greenhouse has launched Guernsey's first funded business accelerator
What is the Guernsey Venture Challenge?
Launched in 2022 and run by the Digital Greenhouse in partnership with Blenheim Chalcot, the Guernsey Venture Challenge (GVC) is the island’s first funded business accelerator. GVC is for new businesses based in Guernsey looking to scale. It gives the opportunity to attain early-stage funding to accelerate their development and help get established.
This year the challenge offers £70,000 of grants to support local startup businesses, comprising of:
- £40,000 First Prize
- £20,000 Second Prize
- £10,000 Third Prize
This is made possible through the SMART Guernsey programme, committed to supporting Guernsey's economic development, creating significant and new opportunities for on-island businesses, entrepreneurs, employees and students.
Register your interest by filling out the form at the bottom of this page.
Guernsey Venture Challenge 2022 Winners
1st Place - NionNet Origin - a code generation engine liberating developers from the repetitive work required in the application development process.
2nd Place - EaseeDo - an assistive software designed to support executive function, the mental skill-set key to planning and completing tasks, maintaining attention, regulating emotions and self-monitoring.
Youngpreneur - ISO-PASS - a fitness on demand app using day-passes to maximise the spare capacity in gyms.
Guernsey Venture Challenge 2022 Winners
Who can apply?
Guernsey resident(s) that have a fledgling business or who are in the process of starting a new business in Guernsey can apply for the GVC. We are looking for startup businesses that would benefit from early-stage funding to accelerate their growth.
The information below specifies the application criteria for the competition:
- Applicants must be residents in Guernsey - if their business is operating, it can be as a Sole Trader or registered with the Guernsey Registry.
- Applicant’s business must have raised no more than £150K in funding to date.
- Applications can be from any sector or business type.
You can download the GVC Application Guidance & Criteria to help you prepare your application:
How do I apply?
Please complete the online application form at the bottom of this webpage. If you have submitted a 'Register my interest' form this will not count towards your application. You will need to fill in a full application on this page from the opening date onwards.
Applications open on the 4th of April 2023 and must be submitted no later than the 7th of July 2023. Applications received after this date will not be considered.
You can download the GVC Application Guidance & Criteria to help you prepare your application:
If you are a potential applicant and would like support developing your idea before applying, you can book a business support meeting or attend a business bootcamp at the Digital Greenhouse. Visit the Startup Hub to find out more:
Assessment Criteria
Applications for this challenge will face a panel of judges from the Digital Greenhouse and Blenheim Chalcot, and will be judged against the following criteria:
- Your business idea must address a clear problem / pain point.
- Idea provides an innovative or creative solution to the problem/pain point.
- There is a sustainable business model, showing potential to scale and grow.
- Applicants can demonstrate market viability.
You can download the GVC Application Guidance & Criteria to help you prepare your application:
Prize Categories
There are three prizes available to be awarded to successful applicants in 2023, as detailed below.
First Prize: £40,000 cash prize
Plus:
- 6-month business mentorship
- 6-month hot-desking membership at the Digital Greenhouse Guernsey
- 2 tickets to the prize-giving at The Véyaon Awards
Second Prize: £20,000 cash prize
Plus:
- 6-month business mentorship
- 6-month hot-desking membership at the Digital Greenhouse Guernsey
- 2 tickets to the prize-giving at The Véyaon Awards
Third Prize: £10,000 cash prize
Plus:
- 6-month business mentorship
- 6-month hot-desking membership at the Digital Greenhouse Guernsey
- 2 tickets to the prize-giving at The Véyaon Awards
Additional Resources
Face-to-face Support
Starting Up Saturday: June
Join us for this free one-day bootcamp on the 17th of June to develop your business idea before applying. Find out more and reserve your space:
Business Support Meetings
Book a one-to-one business support meeting to help you to find the right guidance and support when starting a business in Guernsey. To request a one-to-one meeting please email: info@digitalgreenhouse.gg
Online Guides & Articles
The Startup 101 BookletBusiness Planning GuideIdentifying your CustomerPitch Perfect! Building Businesses - Growth Mindset
Innovation Courses
Including Growth Mindset and Customer-Obsessed Culture content:
Setting Purpose & Powerful Goals Course
What happens after I've applied?
Shortlisted applicants will be notified on 28th July 2023.
Successful applicants will then have just under 8 weeks to continue their business development in preparation for a final pitch event to select the winners.
They will be provided with a business mentor from Blenheim Chalcot to aid with their business development. They will also be invited to take part in a pitch presentation masterclass to prepare for the final pitch night on the 21st of September.
The Final Pitch
The shortlisted applicants must be available to pitch their businesses to a panel of judges at a final pitch event on 21st September 2023. After this event the judges will make their final decision of who the winners are!
Awards Evening
The winners will be announced at The Véyaon Awards evening on the 16th of November 2023, where they will receive their prizes. Applicants must be available to attend The Véyaon Awards evening.
The Véyaon Awards is a night of celebration of local entrepreneurship and innovation, awarding those individuals and businesses who have ‘gone for it’ - the definition of véyaon in Guernésiais. With awards for startups, scaling businesses, digital disruptors and learners, the evening will shine a spotlight on innovation and new ventures in Guernsey.
Working in partnership with Blenheim Chalcot.
The Guernsey Venture Challenge (GVC) is a programme run by the Digital Greenhouse in partnership with Blenheim Chalcot, as part of the SMART Guernsey Programme.
The Economic Development Programme is part of the SMART Guernsey work and is being delivered by Blenheim Chalcot and two of its portfolio companies, Hive Learning and Avado, together in partnership with Digital Greenhouse. The Economic Development Programme is a series of interconnected initiatives that, collectively, aim to help Guernsey build a world-class environment for innovative digital businesses to thrive.