Skoll Venture Awards 2019

We have the ambitious goal to see all University of Oxford ventures and research spin-outs to be purpose driven at their heart.

Through our portfolio of social venture support programmes, including the Skoll Venture Awards, we hope to achieve it.

The Skoll Venture Awards support and celebrate socially impactful businesses founded by an Oxford student or alumni. Award winners get financial support for their venture, access to our network and a valuable platform for exposure of their mission. 

This year’s winner of the £25,000 first prize was the brilliant SociAbility App. The app makes going out and socialising easier for people with access needs by allowing them to search shops, venues, pubs, clubs and restaurants in an area to find information on how accessible they are. SociAbility is the brainchild of Oxford alumnus, Matt Pierri. Initially focused on Oxford, it aims to expand across the UK and, ultimately, internationally.  

Matt says: ‘We’re on a mission to empower social inclusion for everyone. For people with access needs, the difficulty of finding an accessible venue can create stress and anxiety and become a tangible barrier to exploring one’s community and spending quality time with family and friends.’

SociAbility was among five student-led social enterprises that pitched their venture ideas to a panel of judges in June 2019. They were judged on how well they articulated their proposed social or environmental impact, the strength of their business model for impact, their use of funding, and the strength of their team.

As well as the overall winner, an audience choice award of £5,000 was awarded to Devie, a trusted digital companion that guides parents on their journey from pregnancy to parenthood, equipping them to become their child’s best first teacher.