Social Tech Trust grants
Social Tech Trust runs a challenge prize for UK ventures using AI or emerging technology to support young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, with awards up to £10,000.
Guidance last checked 22 July 2026· from the funder’s own website
Overview
The only grants guidance in our source material for Social Tech Trust covers a single timed competition, its AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize, so check whether a round is open before you spend time on an application. The prize is for ventures using AI or emerging technology to support young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the UK. The winner receives £10,000 and the runner-up £5,000, awarded by an independent judging panel, and all eight shortlisted ventures receive a £3,125 non-dilutive grant. To apply you need a working prototype or minimum viable product, at a stage from pre-seed up to raising a seed round. You also need headquarters or operations in the UK, or a clear commitment and pathway to operating in the UK.
What they fund
The register records a broad set of charitable purposes for this funder, from education and training to health, poverty relief and community development. Its published grants guidance is narrower and focuses on technology-led work.
Who and where
The register lists England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and names children and young people, older people, disabled people and other charities among its beneficiaries.
Who they help
Where they fund
What Social Tech Trust says in its own guidance
Quoted directly from the funder’s own website, with a link to the page each quote came from. Always the most current word is theirs — check the source before you apply.
What they say they're looking for
“ventures using AI or emerging technology to support young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the UK”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
Who they say they'll fund
“Headquarters or operations in the UK, or a clear commitment and pathway to operating in the UK.”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
“A working prototype or minimum viable product, at a stage from pre-seed up to raising a seed round.”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
“A solution that uses AI or emerging technology at its core, where technology is central to how the venture works rather than added as a surface feature.”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
Grant sizes they mention
“The Challenge Prize winner will receive £10,000 and the runner-up £5,000, awarded by an independent judging panel. In addition, all eight shortlisted ventures will receive a £3,125 non-dilutive grant”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
Deadlines they mention
“Application deadline: 20 July 2026.”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
How they say to apply
“Applications take approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Shortlisted ventures will be invited to interview as part of final cohort selection.”
Source: socialtechtrust.org — AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize | Social Tech Trust →
Their charitable objects
As registered with the Charity Commission (their formal purposes):
To advance the education of the public in the subject of the internet and information technology2) to relieve financial hardship and advance education relating to the internet and information technology in deprived areas, for example by the provision of equipment and training in information technology and computer…
How to approach them
Start with the official sources — they’re always more current than any directory, including this one.
Common questions
How much does Social Tech Trust give?
For its AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize it says the winner receives £10,000 and the runner-up £5,000, and that all eight shortlisted ventures receive a £3,125 non-dilutive grant. We have no figures for any other Social Tech Trust programme, and no typical (median) award for the funder as a whole.
What does Social Tech Trust fund?
The guidance we hold is about ventures using AI or emerging technology to support young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds in the UK. It says the solution must use "AI or emerging technology at its core, where technology is central to how the venture works rather than added as a surface feature". The Charity Commission register records a wider set of purposes, including education and training, health, poverty relief, disability, the arts and community development.
Who can apply?
For the challenge prize, applicants need a working prototype or minimum viable product, at a stage from pre-seed up to raising a seed round, and headquarters or operations in the UK, or a clear commitment and pathway to operating in the UK. The register lists its area as the whole of the UK.
How do I apply?
It says applications for the challenge prize "take approximately 60 to 90 minutes to complete" and that "shortlisted ventures will be invited to interview as part of final cohort selection". The prize runs to a published closing date that changes from round to round, so check the funder's own website (www.socialtechtrust.org) and its Charity Commission entry (charity number 1125735) for the current deadline and guidance, as processes can change.
Is your charity a fit for Social Tech Trust?
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Contains public sector information from the Charity Commission for England and Wales licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0, and grants data from 360Giving used under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Figures are derived (filtered and summarised by TrusteeMeetings), not republished unchanged. About the data · Terms of use. This page is a starting point for your own research, not a promise of funding, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with Social Tech Trust.