Student investors lead the way at the 2025 Queen Mary Social Venture Fund Pitch Competition
On Thursday 27 March 2025, the Queen Mary Social Venture Fund (QMSVF) — homed at the Entrepreneurship Hub of School of Business and Management — hosted its annual Pitch Competition, celebrating the incredible work of our student investors and their commitment to supporting ventures that drive positive social impact.
More than a hundred attendees gathered to witness some of the brightest minds and boldest ideas compete at the annual Queen Mary Social Venture Fund (QMSVF) Pitch Competition.
QMSVF, the UK’s first student-led social impact venture fund, champions student-led “start-ups for good” — ventures that drive measurable positive change alongside strong financial performance founded by students and recent graduates. Our student investors, trained by leading venture capital professionals at Creator Fund, manage the entire investment process over the course of two semesters. From sourcing 136 startups, evaluating opportunities, and investing in early-stage social ventures, to organising the final pitch competition, they take full ownership of the fund’s activities. The 2024/25 cohort has 22 students, evenly split between undergraduate and postgraduate students, with 64 per cent being female students.
“My time at the Queen Mary Social Venture Fund (QMSVF) has been one of the most transformative experiences in my professional and personal development journey. Serving as Head of Deal Management allowed me to gain hands-on exposure to the world of impact investing and early-stage venture capital, pushing me to develop a sharper eye for evaluating business models, financials, and the scalability of startups with a social mission.” – Haril Dixit, MSc Management
“The Queen Mary Social Venture Fund was one of the most hands-on programmes I've been a part of while I've been at university. There were so many things I took away from the programme, including financial valuation, teamwork, organisation, liaising with different points of contact, and speaking confidently in public.” - Anuska Mishra, BSc (Hons) Economics, Finance and Management
This year, after a rigorous selection process and receiving over 150 applications from ambitious early-stage social ventures across the country, our student investors handpicked the top seven finalists: Cosysense, FlashAid AI, Flowsense, Motics, Salibo, Ventrix Labs, and ViWipe. Each took to the stage to pitch their groundbreaking ideas in front of an engaged audience and a panel of esteemed judges. Every pitch showcased remarkable innovation, making the contest truly competitive. However one venture stood out. We are thrilled to announce that Motics is the winner of the QMSVF Pitch Competition 2025, securing the £15,000 equity investment and ongoing mentorship.
Motics wowed the judges and audience alike with their innovative solution to revolutionise healthcare administration with their intelligent AI agents designed to automate clinical admin tasks — from notes and reports to billing and patient communications. By streamlining administrative burdens, reducing medical errors, and ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards, Motics empowers clinics and hospitals to operate more efficiently while improving patient care. Their vision for the future of healthcare is not only innovative but deeply aligned with the values of social impact that QMSVF champions.
Co-founder and CEO of Motics, Dr Harvinder Power, commented, "It was a pleasure to work with the Queen Mary Social Venture Fund team as part of the programme, and an incredible honour to have won. Everything was seamless, from the application process to the pitch event to the post-pitch follow-up. We're thankful to the team, and excited to be partnering with Queen Mary Social Venture Fund as we continue to grow."
Since its inception in 2020, the award-winning programme has been building and expanding an ecosytem for social entrepreneurs. This year, we are thrilled to have past winner Kristen Tapping, finalist Thomas Panton, and the director of London Social Venture Fund Amir Rizwan joined as expert judges on the evening.
The Academic Director of QMSVF, Professor Joanne Zhang, commented, “I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome both familiar faces and new ones to this year’s competition. It’s not just about winning—it’s about building a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem where ideas, innovation, and collaboration can flourish.”
What’s Next? Applications open for 2025/26
Following the resounding success of this year’s competition, we’re excited to announce that applications for the next 2025/26 cohort of QMSVF student investors is currently open! If you are passionate about impact investing, eager to support start-ups changing the world, and ready to learn from the best in venture capital, we invite you to submit your application.
To receive SBM Entrepreneurship Hub Newsletter, please subscribe or contact us at ent-hub@qmul.ac.uk.
Together, we invest in a better future.