Allia Ltd
Allia is a not-for-profit organisation that supports businesses - through flexible workspace, social finance and free business support - so that they can grow and create positive impact, on their communities and on the planet.
Allia amplifies impact for people, place and planet
Allia is an independent not for profit with a social mission, dedicated to helping impact organisations and initiatives to grow through flexible workspace, business support and social finance.
Allia has been at the forefront of impact since its foundation in 1999 finding innovative ways to tackle unemployment, enterprise and social housing with pioneering products. Our work has helped 1000s of people into work, out of debt and to establish enterprises driven by more than profit. But we can’t create change alone.
Our world needs effective solutions and new thinking to solve the most pressing global and local challenges. Organisations and individuals that aim to make positive change and address these challenges – impact ventures and impact entrepreneurs – can transform peoples’ lives. Allia recognises that they need the right kind of support and we are dedicated to helping them set up, grow and develop. We call it amplifying impact.
- Inspiring workspaces at our Future Business Centres – flexible and supportive innovation communities
- Business support through a range of incubator and accelerator programmes, helping businesses and individuals to innovate, start up, grow and scale
- Innovative social finance through Allia C&C - innovative investment and social finance to help charitable organisations and responsible corporates deliver greater impact
Find out more about what we do or contact us to learn more.
Products and services
Solo to Scale: A free programme for solo business owners & entrepreneurs
Solo to Scale is a transformative bootcamp created to help you transform your solo venture into a resilient, impactful, and future-ready social enterprise. Offering practical tools, expert guidance, and a supportive network to help you scale your social impact.
Running in March, this programme is completely free.
Delivered by Allia and backed by their 25 years of social enterprise expertise. The Build to Win programme is funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund. It is a collaborative effort led by Cambridge City Council, and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.
Accepting applications on a rolling basis.
Please email our Programmes Manager, Marina Pritchard (marina.pritchard@allia.org.uk) if you have any questions.
Bridging the Social Enterprise Funding Gap: 'Build To Win' Programme Launches
We are delighted to share that our Build to Win programme successfully launched on 17th February at our Future Business Centre in King's Hedges. This six-week acceleration programme, designed specifically for Cambridge's social enterprises, charities, and Community Interest Companies (CICs), is now underway.
New organisations are welcome to sign up to the programme until 27th Feb: bit.ly/BuildToWin
The initiative, funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund, represents a collaborative effort between Allia Impact, Cambridge City Council, and the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority.
Recent research highlights that social enterprises across the UK are facing significant challenges, with growth rates declining from 65% to 50% in the past year. In response to these challenges, particularly the critical need for funding expertise, Build to Win offers comprehensive support to help organisations secure sustainable funding.
The programme runs every Monday morning until 24th March, and we are still accepting applications until 27th February. However, we encourage interested organisations to apply promptly as spaces are filling quickly.
What participants receive:
- Expert-led bid-writing workshops
- Masterclasses on funding strategy
- Direct engagement with funders
- Comprehensive curriculum covering the funding landscape
- Impact storytelling techniques
- Custom funding guides and templates
- Post-programme support and check-ins
As Umesh Kumar, our Head of Venture Support, emphasises: "At Allia, we're not just supporting businesses—we're fuelling missions. These programmes give social enterprises and founders the skills, confidence, and connections to scale sustainably and create meaningful change in their communities."
The programme is completely free for eligible Cambridge-based organisations, reflecting our commitment to strengthening the local social impact sector. We still have a few places remaining and invite interested organisations to apply directly or ask questions via bit.ly/BuildToWin.
Join us in our mission to transform Cambridge's social enterprise landscape and create lasting positive change in our community.
For further information about our Future Business Centres and other initiatives, please visit futurebusinesscentre.co.uk.
