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Principles met

  • Co-production

    We will develop systems that enable citizens to be equal partners in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

  • Enterprise and social economy

    We will promote community-based approaches to economic development that focus on supporting the creation of jobs, social enterprises and other businesses and providing an environment for co-operative and mutual enterprises to thrive.

  • Innovation

    We will embrace innovation in how we work with local communities to drive positive change.

  • New models of meeting priority needs

    In exploring new ways of meeting the priority needs of our communities we will encourage models, such as co-operatives and mutuals, which give greater influence and voice to staff and users. in designing and commissioning public services and in determining the use of public resources.

The Social Innovation Challenge Fund is an initiative led by Glasgow City Council to break down long-standing barriers that prevent underrepresented communities from engaging in entrepreneurship. Aimed at fostering innovation, collaboration, and fair access to business support, the Fund has become a vital tool for empowering individuals who often remain excluded from start-up assistance.

In June 2021, Glasgow’s City Leadership Team took part in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Innovation Track Programme—an intensive, design-based learning model aimed at helping cities tackle challenging problems with new creative approaches. Through this process, the city identified significant systemic barriers affecting underrepresented residents—particularly women, minority ethnic communities, and younger individuals from deprived areas—who face disproportionate difficulties when trying to become entrepreneurs. 

In response, Glasgow City Council’s Business Growth Team developed the Social Innovation Challenge Fund, a new model of grant support and codesigned engagement aimed at addressing these inequities. Drawing on design-based methodology, the Fund seeks to establish a new way for the council to deliver entrepreneurship support by ensuring services meet the needs of communities that have traditionally been underserved.

Gilded Lily Inspiring CIC – Her Future Enterprises 2025, Pitching Competition

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