Applications for the Shell Springboard awards close at 5pm on Friday, 5th November 2010

Since being successfully piloted in 2005, Shell Springboard has judged over 900 entries and awarded over £1.6 million to 43 businesses across the UK.

Here’s how it works:

• Up to 6 awards of between £20,000 and £40,000 are on offer in each of 3 UK events
• The number and quality of entries will determine the number of awards given. Each region has a maximum number of awards it can give, but no minimum. 
• The actual number of awards made, and the level of each award will be at the judges’ discretion.
• Awards will be made in early 2011
• Judging will be carried out by panels of independent experts at 3 events.
• Up to 2 businesses from each of the 3 events will then meet a national judging panel prior to the announcement of an overall UK winner
• Previous applicants can reapply for the fund
• Previous winners can only reapply for the fund with a new project.  Projects previously supported by Shell Springboard will not be supported in subsequent years.

In short, the judges are looking for business plans for a product or service which:

• will lead to greenhouse gas emissions reductions
• is commercially viable
• is innovative
• There are two further aspects that the judges will take into consideration; 1) The likely material impact that the Springboard award will have on your project 2) the credibility of the team behind the project.

Eligibility criteria:
There are strict eligibility criteria. Please only submit an application if you:

• are a business set up as a sole trader, partnership, limited company or community interest company (including university or government spin-outs)
• have been established for a minimum of 3 months
• have less than 250 employees and qualify as a small or medium enterprise (SME)
• operate in the UK
• have a project which is your own and/or which you are free to disclose
• have a project that has not been previously supported by a Shell Springboard award

For further information check out the Shell Springboard website @ http://www.shellspringboard.org/home

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