Social Tech Trust
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Social Tech Trust backs early-stage ventures that use technology to address social and environmental challenges, so a small organisation should first check that its work is built around a technology solution to one of those challenges.
- The clearest route in is the AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize, where the charity states awards of £10,000 for the winner, £5,000 for the runner-up and £3,125 for shortlisted ventures, so any request should be sized to that scale.
- The charity says it assesses Challenge Fit, Commercial Viability, Scalability and Impact, with Impact weighted most heavily, and it wants AI or emerging technology used meaningfully and responsibly with impact measured.
- Applications are made against fixed deadlines, and the annual report gave no readable grants figure, so the scale of its wider giving is unclear.
- The charity says it welcomes diverse teams and people with lived experience of the challenge, and applicants with that experience should say so plainly.
Overview
Social Tech Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 1125735).
Social Tech Trust is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales that backs early-stage ventures using technology to address pressing social and environmental challenges. It works through programme delivery, targeted investments and ecosystem-building activities. The programme will distribute a total of £40,000 in non-dilutive funding, and its AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize offers £10,000 to the winner, £5,000 to the runner-up and £3,125 to shortlisted ventures.
What they fund
Priority Areas
Social Tech Trust backs early-stage ventures using technology to address pressing social and environmental challenges. It supports innovators from start-ups to impact funds, focused on improving lives and creating lasting impact. Its approach combines targeted investment, tailored programmes and ecosystem building to help ambitious ideas grow into solutions with real-world impact. It values solutions developed by people with lived experience or a close connection to affected communities. The Trust also grows a portfolio of ventures whose core mission is to advance equity and social justice, and designs investment and support that responds to the needs of underrepresented founders.
Themes
- Social challenges
- Environmental challenges
Geographic Focus
UK.
How to apply
For the AI and Social Mobility Challenge Prize, applications go through initial screening, venture interviews and final cohort selection.
Deadlines: Applications close.
Application success factors
What the charity says:
- Applications are assessed across Challenge Fit, Commercial Viability, Scalability and Impact, with Impact carrying particular weight.
- Solutions should use AI or emerging technology meaningfully and responsibly, show understanding of target users, offer a credible route to growth, and measure impact.
- The programme welcomes diverse teams and participants with lived experience of the challenges their venture addresses.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- United Kingdom
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to Social Tech Trust.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 March 2021 | £388,967 | £697,935 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2021 |
| year to 31 March 2022 | £358,143 | £562,662 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2022 |
| year to 31 March 2023 | £168,771 | £637,984 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2023 |
| year to 31 March 2024 | £266,914 | £699,700 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2024 |
| year to 31 March 2025 | £243,542 | £664,417 | — | Accounts for year to 31 March 2025 |
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- socialtechtrust.org
- socialtechtrust.org/whoweare · read on 30 October 2026
- socialtechtrust.org/ai-and-social-mobility-challenge-prize · read on 30 October 2026
- socialtechtrust.org/terms-of-use · read on 30 October 2026
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Social Tech Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Applying to Social Tech Trust?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required