Cambridge Social Ventures
Cambridge Social Ventures is a non-commercial incubator programme within Cambridge Judge Business School that supports early-stage social entrepreneurs through a two-day Social Venture Weekend and an ongoing Social Venture Incubator offering coaching, networks, workspace, and finance access, funded by UK government and lottery grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cambridge Social Ventures does
Cambridge Social Ventures is a social-enterprise support programme established in 2014 as a partnership between Allia, Cambridge Judge Business School, Foundation East, and Keystone Trust, with initial funding from the UK Cabinet Office. In 2016 it was integrated into the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, where it operates as a non-commercial academic initiative rather than a standalone legal entity.
The programme delivers two core offerings to early-stage social entrepreneurs: the Social Venture Weekend, a two-day intensive training event that functions as the primary acquisition channel, and the Social Venture Incubator, an ongoing programme of tailored business advice, coaching, network introductions, shared workspace access, and support to access debt and equity finance. There is no underlying software product or proprietary technology platform; the value proposition rests on human-delivered mentorship, the Cambridge brand, and the partner ecosystem. Since inception, the programme reports supporting approximately 1,000 entrepreneurs through Social Venture Weekends and incubating around 300 ventures, which collectively have raised roughly £50 million in equity, loans, grants, and public-sector contracts.
The business model is grant-funded rather than commercial: programmes are free to participants, and revenue (in the form of institutional grants) comes from UK government and lottery sources, primarily the UK Cabinet Office and The National Lottery Community Fund. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, supported by organic social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), an email newsletter, and distribution through the Cambridge Judge Business School network. Customer concentration is therefore high at the payer level, with the served entrepreneur base spanning diverse social missions from autism employment to gender-based-violence advocacy to climate and peace initiatives.
Cambridge Social Ventures firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cambridge Social Ventures
- Legal name
- Cambridge Social Ventures
- Website
- https://cambridgesocialventures.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cambridge Social Ventures is a non-commercial incubator programme within Cambridge Judge Business School that supports early-stage social entrepreneurs through a two-day Social Venture Weekend and an ongoing Social Venture Incubator offering coaching, networks, workspace, and finance access, funded by UK government and lottery grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cambridge Social Ventures industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Enterprise Incubator
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching) (BPAEANAN), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Entrepreneurship, Business & Innovation Camps (EDAMALAL)
Keywords
Where Cambridge Social Ventures is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cambridge Social Ventures business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Institutional Funding: Cambridge Social Ventures operates as a partnership program funded by UK government and lottery sources including the UK Cabinet Office and The National Lottery Community Fund. Revenue comes from institutional partnerships rather than direct customer payments.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Cambridge Social Ventures product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cambridge Social Ventures delivers training and incubation programmes for early-stage social entrepreneurs. Its core offerings are the Social Venture Weekend (a two-day intensive training event) and the Social Venture Incubator (an ongoing programme providing tailored business advice, coaching, introductions to networks, shared workspace access, and support accessing debt and equity finance). The initiative operates as a programme of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
Product overview
Cambridge Social Ventures is part of Cambridge Judge Business School, Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation. It offers two main programmes: Social Venture Weekend (two days of intensive training) and Social Venture Incubator (ongoing business advice, coaching, and access to finance). The organization has supported 1000 entrepreneurs through Social Venture Weekends and 300 ventures through incubation, with ventures raising £50m in total.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Social Venture Weekend
Quantifiable outcome
- 1000 entrepreneurs supported
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cambridge Social Ventures
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Cambridge Social Ventures technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cambridge Social Ventures partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AlliacoreFounding partner in the Cambridge Social Ventures partnership established in 2014. Allia provides organizational support and expertise in social venture development.
- Cambridge Judge Business SchoolcoreAcademic institution hosting Cambridge Social Ventures as part of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation since 2016. Provides academic credibility, facilities, and access to broader university networks.
- Foundation EastcoreFounding partner in the Cambridge Social Ventures partnership established in 2014. Provides regional expertise and support for social ventures.
- Keystone TrustcoreFounding partner in the Cambridge Social Ventures partnership established in 2014. Contributes to the partnership's mission of supporting social entrepreneurship.
- Bluebridge EducationminorEducation-focused partner providing support to Cambridge Social Ventures programs.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Cambridge Social Ventures competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Unreasonable: Global accelerator supporting impact-driven entrepreneurs through intensive bootcamps and an investor network — comparable in its weekend/immersive accelerator format for social ventures.
- ClearlySo: UK advisory and capital-raise platform focused on social enterprises and impact businesses — comparable in connecting mission-driven ventures with capital and advisory resources.
- Bethnal Green Ventures: UK-based accelerator specifically supporting early-stage social enterprises with venture-building support, investment, and workspace access — closely comparable model to Cambridge Social Ventures' incubator.
- School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE): UK charity providing training, mentoring, and peer learning to social entrepreneurs through structured programmes — directly comparable in mission and learning-based delivery model.
Others
- Allia: UK social impact organization and founding partner of Cambridge Social Ventures — comparable as a UK social enterprise support organization providing workspace, advice, and impact ventures.
Regional players
- Big Issue Invest: UK social investment organization providing finance and support to social enterprises and charities — comparable as a UK-based funder and capacity-builder in the social venture ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- The Young Foundation: UK-based centre for social innovation that develops, incubates, and spreads new approaches to social challenges — comparable as a UK institution combining incubation and applied social innovation.
- Social Enterprise UK: UK membership body representing and supporting social enterprises — comparable as a UK-wide ecosystem player advancing the social enterprise sector.
- Ashoka: Global organization supporting leading social entrepreneurs through fellowships and networks — comparable mission of identifying and backing high-impact social entrepreneurs at scale.
- Skoll Foundation: Global foundation backing social entrepreneurs through grants and the Skoll Award — comparable as a high-profile funder and network-builder for leading social entrepreneurs.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Cambridge Social Ventures social profiles
Digital presenceCambridge Social Ventures financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cambridge Social Ventures leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cambridge Social Ventures funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cambridge Social Ventures M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Social Ventures
What does Cambridge Social Ventures do?
Cambridge Social Ventures delivers training and incubation programmes for early-stage social entrepreneurs. Its core offerings are the Social Venture Weekend (a two-day intensive training event) and the Social Venture Incubator (an ongoing programme providing tailored business advice, coaching, introductions to networks, shared workspace access, and support accessing debt and equity finance). The initiative operates as a programme of the Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
Is Cambridge Social Ventures a public or private company?
Cambridge Social Ventures is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Cambridge Social Ventures founded?
Cambridge Social Ventures was founded in 2014.
Where is Cambridge Social Ventures based?
Cambridge Social Ventures is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cambridge Social Ventures make money?
One revenue line is on record: institutional Funding.
Who are Cambridge Social Ventures's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Unreasonable, ClearlySo, Bethnal Green Ventures and School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE). Allia is listed as an others. Big Issue Invest is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are The Young Foundation, Social Enterprise UK, Ashoka and Skoll Foundation.
Does Cambridge Social Ventures have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cambridge Social Ventures.
What industry is Cambridge Social Ventures in?
Cambridge Social Ventures's product category is Social Enterprise Incubator. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAKAK, Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs, with a secondary code of BPAEANAN, Training Delivery Services (Onsite/Virtual Instruction, Workshops, Coaching). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.