Impact55: Funded support programme for East Anglian start-ups from HCR Law

Sponsored feature | HCR Law is offering start-ups the chance to win up to £25,000 of legal support in its Impact55 programme.

There’s a lot to think about when starting a business, and early access to the right support can make a real difference.

At HCR Law, we’re committed to the communities we live and work in. As part of our ongoing support for businesses in East Anglia, we’re offering start-ups the chance to win up to £25,000 of legal support to help them progress to the next stage of their journey.

Now in its second year, our Impact55 support programme is designed to help start-ups that use technology to drive positive social and environmental change.

Open to businesses in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, the initiative provides packages of legal support to successful applicants. The overall winner will receive £25,000, while up to three runners-up will each receive £10,000. These funds can be used for any business-related legal advice offered by HCR.

With a strong regional support network and offices in central Cambridge and Norwich, HCR is embedded in the early-stage technology ecosystem and well placed to support ambitious businesses throughout the region.

Last year’s Impact55 programme attracted strong interest from entrepreneurial start-ups in Cambridgeshire. The overall winner, Spotta, impressed the judging panel with its sustainable IoT solution, developed to track insect pests and solve the problems they cause without relying on chemical pesticides.

The calibre of pitches was so high that the panel awarded runner-up prizes to three additional companies: Biotryp Therapeutics, Cellexcel Ltd and Lambda Agri.

This year’s successful entrants will benefit from HCR’s expert legal advice, knowledge and connections. With years of experience advising scale-up enterprises on all aspects of business growth, including funding and investment, our specialist lawyers will act as part of the team – so founders can focus less on legal matters and more on running their business.

Who can enter?

Applicants must:

- Be a UK-registered company and have your registered office (or principal place of business) in Cambridgeshire, Suffolk or Norfolk

- Have already raised external capital funding or secured grant funding

- Be an impact start-up, founded to use technology to create positive social or environmental change, as well as economic rewards for your investors.

To apply, visit hcrlaw.com/impact55 and complete the online application form. Applicants must also upload a three-minute video to show how they meet the impact criteria. Applications must be received by 8pm on 14 November, 2025.

Visit hcrlaw.com.