The SHAPE Ventures Directory highlights the broad spectrum of mission driven initiatives arising from SHAPE (Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts) research in universities across the UK.
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From legally incorporated businesses to pre-incorporated, internal university business units, consultancies, and enterprising programs, SHAPE ventures demonstrate innovative approaches to translating research into economic and social impact.
Through diverse business models and non-traditional commercialisation pathways, these ventures exemplify the unique value of SHAPE disciplines in driving societal change.
Designed as a resource for commercialisation professionals (those supporting SHAPE initiatives), this directory offers a platform for sharing snapshots of projects, connecting peers, and discovering the extensive SHAPE-led enterprise landscape nationally.
Affempreneurs
The University of Bristol
Empowers young women micro-entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa with skills training, mentorship, mental health support, and seed funding.
Heddle
The University of Bristol
Supports students who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) through training, assessments, and teaching resources to foster inclusive learning.
Global Talent Fund (GTF)
The University of Bristol
Provides up to 50 fully funded scholarships/year for STEM students from low-income countries. Offers grants up to $50,000 and advocates for equitable access to global education.
Circular Agriculture Hub
The University of Bristol
Tackles on-farm food waste (25% of UK food waste) by connecting surplus to alternative channels (food banks, local markets). Explores produce valorisation. Aims to create a more equitable, resilient food system.
Good Grief Festival CIC
The University of Bristol
Tackles grief stigma by offering community events, workshops, and digital resources. Aims to make grief education inclusive and accessible.
Sexual Misconduct Case Handling – Training for Higher Education Institutions
The University of Surrey
The Sexual Misconduct Case Handling (solution name TBC) approach provides a framework for academics and professional services staff to work to when cases of sexual misconduct involving students are reported.
Kindling Interventions – Bystander Intervention Training
The University of Exeter
A bystander approach equips individuals with the confidence and skills to notice, step up, and act when they witness something harmful. Building more equal and inclusive communities and workplaces thus becomes the responsibility of everyone – not just those directly affected.
Bilingualism Matters
The University of Edinburgh
Bilingualism Matters is a social enterprise supporting a membership community of organisations and individuals who share the commitment to make the research-based evidence on multilingualism and language learning available and accessible to families, communities, and professionals in education, health or policy.
EPIC Think Learn
The University of Edinburgh
EPIC Think Learn supports neurodivergent children to better understand who they are and how their brain works. It provides subscription-based services to equip parents, teachers and clinicians/practitioners with research-based information, so they can support the neurodivergent children in their care.
The Diary Toolkit – Wellbeing for Educators
The University of Bristol
The Diary Toolkit is a hybrid of a diary and a journal written specifically for those working in the education profession. It is designed to help you press pause and discover new and creative ways to celebrate your achievements.