Goal 1: No Poverty
Bottom Financial Quintile Student Support
Entrepreneurship and Start-up Support
The Maldives National University > Sustainability 2025 > SDG 1 > Bottom Financial Quintile Student Support

Turning ideas into opportunities

Entrepreneurship create opportunities for innovation, employment and the development of new products and services. The Maldives National University supports student entrepreneurship through MNU InnovateHub, its university-led business incubator. Launched in July 2024, MNU InnovateHub provides a structured pathway for eligible students to develop business ideas and work towards establishing ventures. Read more

From idea to venture

The InnovateHub process includes proposal submission, pitching and assessment, followed by venture development for selected participants. Depending on programme requirements and selection outcomes, participants can receive support with mentorship, prototype development, design, engineering, testing, market research and business-model refinement. This approach combines financial opportunities with practical guidance intended to help students develop and assess the viability of their ideas.

Seed-capital opportunities

MNU InnovateHub publishes three levels of seed capital:

Funding category

Published maximum

Small Seed Capital

MVR 50,000

Mid-Range Seed Capital

MVR 225,000

High-Range Seed Capital

MVR 500,000

These amounts are maximum funding levels, not guaranteed awards. Funding is subject to the programme’s eligibility requirements, proposal assessment and selection process.

Mentorship and partnerships

Selected participants benefit from guidance from MNU faculty, industry experts and programme partners, alongside access to relevant university resources, workspaces, training and networking opportunities. MNU’s partnerships with industry and innovation organisations help connect student ideas with practical expertise and entrepreneurial development opportunities.

MNU’s InnovateHub information specifies eligibility requirements for applicants, including current enrolment in a bachelor’s or postgraduate programme and completion of at least six months of study. Applicants must review the current official policy for the complete conditions.

Contribution to poverty reduction

By supporting students in developing entrepreneurial skills and exploring viable business ideas, MNU InnovateHub contributes to an environment in which innovation and enterprise can create future livelihood opportunities. The impact of this work should be assessed through evidence such as ventures supported, funding awarded, businesses launched, venture survival and employment created, where such information is available.

Find out more

This initiative is supported by a comprehensive suite of outreach, support, and retention programs designed to empower students from underrepresented backgrounds to thrive at University and beyond.

HEPPP provides funding to universities to implement strategies that improve access to undergraduate education for people from regional and remote areas, low SES backgrounds, and Indigenous communities. It also supports efforts to improve retention and completion rates among these student groups. The program underpins the Government’s goal of having 20% of university enrolments filled by students from low SES backgrounds.

In 2024, students from low SES backgrounds represented 21.8% of the University of Newcastle’s domestic enrolments. This is an increase from 2023, where students from low SES backgrounds represented 21.4% of the University of Newcastle’s domestic enrolments. The University has exceeded the HEPPP target for the past five consecutive years and continues to lead in enrolling more than 20% of its domestic students from the lowest financial quintile.

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