RSA Spark’s impact for 2024/25
RSA Spark drew submissions from a diverse range of students across a broad spectrum of subject disciplines, countries of study and ethnicity.
Meet the RSA Spark entrepreneur guides
In 2025, 10 students received the RSA Spark Entrepreneur Award, designed to help turn inspiring concepts into viable ventures that support a regenerative future.
Each awardee benefits from:
- £1,000 seed grant to kickstart their idea
- Three months of mentoring from a seasoned Entrepreneur Guide
- RSA Innovator Digital Badge to recognise their achievement
- One-year RSA Fellowship to join a global network of innovators
- The opportunity to pitch for a £10,000 scaling grant after their mentoring journey
Ultimately, the award is more than just funding; it’s about connecting emerging talent with real-world expertise. That’s where our entrepreneur guides come in.
Behind every budding idea is someone who knows what it takes to bring it to life. This year, three guides have stepped forward, aligned with the RSA Spark briefs:
Andrew Grant, Royal Designer for Industry (RDI)
Urban Cool brief guide
Andrew is a renowned landscape architect and the founder of Grant Associates, an international design studio based in Bath and Singapore. His award-winning work explores how people connect with nature, from city streets to landmark projects like Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
As the Urban Cool guide, Andrew brings deep expertise in reimagining urban spaces for sustainability, wellbeing and joy.
Tom Tobia
Urban Cool brief guide
Tom is a designer and social entrepreneur whose work tackles civic and societal challenges through user-centred and systems-led approaches. He co-founded Makerversity at Somerset House, London – a pioneering campus for making and learning recognised by The Observer, NESTA, and the European Union for its social impact.
Alongside founding ventures such as A New Field, which enables people to create biomaterials at home, Tom has advised charities, start-ups, and policymakers, and has represented UK design and innovation at No. 10 Downing Street, the House of Lords, and Buckingham Palace.
As another Urban Cool guide, Tom brings deep experience in building new models of learning, collaboration and innovation to address today’s most complex challenges.
Tom Philipson
Creative Communities brief guide
Tom is the founder and CEO of YourStudio, a global creative agency with studios in London, New York, Melbourne and Amsterdam. His team has partnered with brands such as Nike, Google, and Netflix to design innovative retail experiences. At the same time, they also champion inclusivity through their Inclusive Spaces platform.
As the Creative Communities guide, Tom brings a passion for shaping spaces that foster creativity, collaboration and belonging.
Holly Lewis
Where People Meet brief guide
Holly is the co-founder of We Made That, a practice dedicated to shaping healthier, fairer and more equitable places. With projects rooted in research and impact, her work champions the public sector and charities to deliver meaningful change for communities and the planet.
As a High Streets Task Force Expert and Mayor’s Design Advocate, Holly brings a wealth of experience as the Where People Meet guide, helping students reimagine how shared spaces can nurture connections.
Together, the RSA Spark Entrepreneur Award and our guides create a platform where fresh ideas meet lived experience, helping the next generation of innovators turn their visions into reality.
More from RSA Spark
RSA Spark review panels
Meet the RSA Spark team of reviewers. The panels have been curated to include an impressive range of expertise across and beyond RSA Fellowship.
Meet the RSA Spark entrepreneur guides
Behind every budding idea is someone who knows what it takes to bring it to life. This year, three guides have stepped forward, aligned with the RSA Spark briefs.
Students changing tomorrow
RSA Spark
RSA Spark welcomes students from around the globe to develop and apply their agency, skills, and creativity to real-world briefs that do more good for people, places, and the planet.
