100x Impact £150,000 Funding Opportunity for High-Impact Ventures: Eligibility, Benefits and Application Process

The 100x Impact funding opportunity is seeking ambitious organisations with the potential to improve the lives of hundreds of millions or even billions of people.

Through the programme, selected ventures can receive £150,000 in catalytic funding, together with a long-term partnership designed to help organisations strengthen their strategies, measure their impact, develop leadership capacity, and build pathways to scale.

The programme is aimed at organisations that are already working on important social or environmental challenges and have demonstrated solutions that could potentially achieve significant scale.

In addition to financial support, selected ventures can gain access to strategic support, research expertise from the London School of Economics (LSE), and connections to a global network of funders, advisers, partners, and peer organisations.

About the 100x Impact Opportunity

100x is looking to partner with what it describes as “future social unicorns”: organisations capable of creating positive change at a very large scale.

The programme looks beyond organisations that simply have an interesting idea. Applicants are expected to demonstrate that they have a proven solution, a clear understanding of the problem they are addressing, evidence of performance, a capable team, and a realistic pathway to scale.

The programme also places emphasis on organisations that are close to the communities they serve and have the potential to contribute to broader systemic transformation.

What Selected Ventures Will Receive

Selected organisations will receive a combination of financial support, strategic assistance, research expertise, and access to networks.

£150,000 in Catalytic Funding

Selected ventures will receive £150,000 in catalytic funding.

The funding is intended to strengthen the organisation’s pathway to scale. Rather than being presented simply as financial support, the funding is connected to the broader objective of helping ventures increase their impact and reach.

Long-Term Partnership

Selected ventures will enter into a long-term partnership with 100x.

The partnership begins with a tailored 16-week programme designed to help organisations strengthen important areas of their work.

Support can include:

• Developing a stronger funding strategy
• Improving impact measurement
• Strengthening leadership
• Preparing the organisation for growth
• Identifying pathways to scale
• Developing strategies for long-term impact

Access to Advisers, Funders and Partners

Selected ventures will also gain connections to advisers, funders, partners, and other organisations within the 100x community.

These connections can provide opportunities for organisations to:

• Exchange ideas
• Build professional relationships
• Learn from peers
• Explore potential partnerships
• Identify funding opportunities
• Access relevant expertise

Potential Follow-On Funding

Some selected ventures may also have the potential to receive additional funding in the future.

However, follow-on funding is not guaranteed and will depend on factors including the fit between the venture and available funding.

100x Impact Eligibility Criteria

100x outlines several key eligibility areas that applicants should consider before applying.

1. Impact-First Venture

Applicants should be organisations that put social or environmental impact at the centre of their work.

The organisation should be focused on solving a significant problem rather than simply pursuing commercial growth without a clear impact objective.

2. Focus on an Impact Area

The organisation must be focused on one of 100x’s eight Impact Areas.

Applicants should therefore ensure that their work clearly aligns with one of the areas identified by 100x before submitting an application.

3. Proven Solution

100x is looking for organisations with solutions that have already demonstrated evidence of working.

Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate how their solution addresses the problem they are tackling and provide evidence of its effectiveness.

The programme is focused on organisations with existing models and approaches rather than ventures that are only at the idea stage.

4. Ambition for Scale

A central feature of this opportunity is the ambition to reach very large numbers of people.

100x is searching for organisations with the potential to improve the lives of hundreds of millions or even billions of people.

Applicants should therefore be able to explain how their organisation could expand its reach and impact over time.

5. End-User Reach

The programme considers the number of people who benefit from an organisation’s solution.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate their existing reach and explain how they intend to expand that reach.

6. Team Size

The organisation’s team is also considered as part of the application and selection process.

100x takes a holistic approach that considers not only the solution itself but also the people leading and delivering it.

Selection Criteria

100x evaluates applications using several broad criteria.

Problem

Applicants should clearly demonstrate their understanding of the problem they are trying to solve.

The problem should be significant enough to justify the scale of ambition expected by the programme.

Proposition

The organisation should have a clear proposition that explains how its solution addresses the identified problem.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate why their approach is relevant and how it creates positive change.

Performance

Evidence of performance is important.

Organisations should be able to demonstrate what they have achieved so far and provide evidence supporting the effectiveness of their model.

People

100x considers the people behind the organisation.

This includes the leadership team and the broader capabilities required to execute the organisation’s strategy and pursue growth.

Pathways

Applicants should demonstrate a credible pathway for expanding their impact.

This means explaining how the organisation can move from its current level of reach to substantially greater levels of impact.

100x Additionality

The programme also considers whether 100x’s involvement could make a meaningful difference to the organisation.

Applicants should consider what additional value the funding, strategic support, research expertise, networks, and partnership could provide to their organisation.

Focus on Emerging Markets

100x states that it aims to have 70% of its portfolio come from emerging markets.

The organisation also values applications where founders or senior team members are based in the region in which the organisation operates.

This reflects an emphasis on proximity to communities and local leadership.

Organisations operating in emerging markets can therefore highlight their connection to the communities they serve and explain how their leadership and operating model are connected to those communities.

What the Application Process Looks Like

The application process consists of several stages.

Stage 1: Online Application and Review

The application window remains open for five weeks.

100x encourages ventures to apply as early as possible during the application period.

After applications are submitted, the 100x team reviews them carefully.

Based on this initial assessment, up to 50 teams will be selected to progress to the next stage.

Teams that do not progress will be notified in December 2026.

Stage 2: Initial Interview

Selected organisations will proceed to an initial interview.

The interview is generally conducted online and is expected to last approximately 20 minutes.

The conversation may involve founders or senior leaders of the organisation.

The purpose is to help 100x understand:

• The people leading the organisation
• The organisation’s solution
• The problem being addressed
• The organisation’s plans for the future
• The potential pathway to scale

Interviews will be arranged through email.

Stage 3: Detailed Due Diligence

Organisations that progress beyond the initial interview will enter a more detailed due diligence process.

At this stage, the time and resources required from the applicant increase significantly.

100x will request additional information and conduct more detailed conversations with the team.

The due diligence process generally involves approximately two to three hours of online conversations, together with follow-up requests for specific information.

For the current application cycle, this stage is scheduled to take place between January and April 2027.

Applicants should therefore be prepared to commit significant time and resources if they reach this stage.

Stage 4: Cohort Selection

Following due diligence, applications are reviewed by an independent selection committee.

The committee makes the final selection decisions for the cohort.

The outcome of the selection process is expected to be communicated in July 2027.

Stage 5: Programme Start

Organisations that are selected will then be connected with the 100x Programme team.

The Programme team will support successful ventures through the onboarding process and provide additional information about:

• Programme schedules
• Kick-off week
• Programme activities
• Expectations for participating organisations

Who Is This Opportunity Designed For?

The opportunity is designed for ambitious organisations that have already developed and demonstrated a solution to a significant social or environmental problem.

It may be particularly relevant to ventures that:

• Have a strong impact-first mission
• Have a proven solution
• Already reach a meaningful number of end users
• Have ambitious plans for growth
• Can demonstrate evidence of performance
• Have capable founders or senior leadership
• Have the potential to reach very large populations
• Can demonstrate a credible pathway to scale

The programme is therefore not primarily designed for individuals applying independently. It is focused on organisations or ventures with an established model and a team capable of delivering that model.

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Application Deadline

The application window is stated to be open for five weeks.

The information provided does not give a specific calendar date for the closing deadline.

Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible during the five-week application period rather than waiting until the end of the window.

The organisation states that applicants who do not progress beyond the initial review will be notified in December 2026.

Important Dates in the Selection Process

For organisations considering the opportunity, the main timeline provided is:

1. Application period: Five weeks
2. Initial application review: Following submission
3. Notification for applicants who do not progress: December 2026
4. Detailed due diligence: January to April 2027
5. Final cohort selection outcome: July 2027
6. Programme: Begins after selected ventures are onboarded

Visit HERE to learn more about the 100x Impact £150,000 Funding Opportunity for High-Impact Ventures

How to Apply

Interested organisations can apply through the official 100x application platform.

Before applying, ventures should ensure that they can clearly communicate:

• The problem they are addressing
• Their proposed solution
• Evidence that the solution works
• Their current performance
• The people behind the organisation
• Their existing end-user reach
• Their ambitions for scale
• Their pathway to significantly greater impact
• Why 100x’s support could provide additional value

Applicants should also be prepared for a potentially intensive process if they progress beyond the initial application.

Why the Opportunity Is Significant for High-Impact Ventures

The 100x programme combines funding with long-term strategic support.

For organisations seeking to scale, the opportunity provides access to resources beyond the initial £150,000 catalytic funding.

The 16-week programme can help participating ventures strengthen their funding and impact measurement strategies, while leadership support can help organisations prepare for the challenges associated with growth.

The network of advisers, funders, partners, and peers can also provide opportunities for knowledge sharing and relationship building.

The emphasis on emerging markets may be particularly relevant to organisations addressing major social and environmental challenges in regions where large populations could potentially benefit from effective solutions.

Conclusion

The 100x Impact £150,000 funding opportunity is designed to identify and support ambitious organisations with the potential to achieve transformative impact at a very large scale.

Selected ventures can receive £150,000 in catalytic funding, a long-term partnership, a tailored 16-week programme, strategic support, access to LSE’s research expertise, and connections to funders, advisers, partners, and peers.

The programme looks for organisations with a proven solution, strong performance, capable leadership, significant end-user reach, and a credible ambition and pathway for scale.

100x also states that it aims for 70% of its portfolio to come from emerging markets and values applications where founders or senior team members are based in the region where the organisation operates.

The application window is open for five weeks, with applicants encouraged to apply early. Organisations that progress through the process may undergo interviews and detailed due diligence between January and April 2027, with final cohort outcomes expected in July 2027.

For organisations that have developed proven solutions to major social or environmental problems and are seeking support to significantly expand their impact, this programme provides a combination of funding, strategic assistance, networks, and long-term partnership.

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