Three UK businesses have been named winners of the Santander X UK Awards 2026, securing a share of £150,000 in equity-free funding. Olimera Therapeutics won the university category, Peripear was the startup winner, and Think for the Future took the SME prize, also receiving the People’s Choice award.
Olimera Therapeutics is developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases by targeting protein clusters that current technologies cannot reach. The company, which is at an early stage, plans to use its Santander X funding for incorporation and to move into pre-clinical studies.
Peripear is developing a wearable compress designed to provide consistent warmth and support during labour, aiming to reduce perineal trauma. The company intends to use its prize money to fund US laboratory testing as it moves towards clinical trials and regulatory clearance, with initial human trials planned for Singapore.
Think for the Future, which operates internal inclusion centres in schools to provide behavioural and educational support, plans to reinvest its prize money into expansion and additional hires. The company, which employs over 100 people and has an annual turnover of around £4.3m, recently opened a centre in Manchester and aims to expand further across the country.