The BNY UpPrize Social Innovation Challenge, an annual competition to promote entrepreneurship that advances solutions with long-term benefits to Southwestern Pennsylvania, is returning for an eighth year.
Donor Name: Innovation Works
State: Pennsylvania
County: Allegheny County (PA), Armstrong County (PA), Beaver County (PA), Butler County (PA), Fayette County (PA), Greene County (PA), Indiana County (PA), Lawrence County (PA), Washington County (PA), Westmoreland County (PA)
Type of Grant: Awards and Prizes
Deadline: 06/26/2025
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Administered by Innovation Works and fully funded by BNY the competition provides funding and educational resources to help nonprofits, local entrepreneurs, and other competitors bring their ideas from concept to reality.
For 2025, the BNY UpPrize Social Innovation Challenge will focus on harnessing technology to tackle urgent challenges—encouraging innovation across sectors such as environmental sustainability, healthcare affordability, and gender equality, while also addressing issues like education accessibility, LGBTQ+ rights, disability inclusion, housing affordability, food security, clean energy, and civic engagement through cutting-edge solutions.
This year’s challenge introduces an innovative two-track structure designed to support social entrepreneurs at different stages of their journey:
- Early-Stage Track
- Designed for pre-incorporated or newly incorporated ventures, this track supports early-stage founders who are building from the ground up.
- Advanced-Stage Track
- Built for incorporated companies—whether for-profit or nonprofit—this track is for founders who are post-launch with a product already in the market.
Funding Information
- Early-Stage Track
- Grand Prize: $75,000
- Second Place: $50,000
- Advanced-Stage Track
- Grand Prize: $125,000
- Second Place: $75,000.
Eligibility Criteria
- AGE
- You must be 18 years old or older
- LOCATION
- Be based in one of the following Pennsylvania counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, or Westmoreland
- FORMATION
- For-profit and non-profit models are eligible
- IMPACT
- Demonstrate that the startup’s impact will be primarily within one or more of these counties
- PREVIOUS WINNINGS
- Have not previously received $50,000 or more in UpPrize fundin
- OBLIGATIONS
- Ensure that participation does not conflict with employer policies, third-party agreements, or other obligations
- AFFILIATIONS
- Company leaders, individual applicants, and their immediate family members must not be employed by or affiliated with BNY, Innovation Works, or any of their parent or affiliate companies.
For more information, visit Innovation Works.
