Scholarship alumni pay it forward to empower future engineers

Trailblazing business leaders who have helped shape the UK economy, launched hundreds of successful companies and created thousands of jobs are giving back to the same initiative that fuelled their success.

Recipients of the prestigious Sainsbury Management Fellows (SMF) scholarship programme are taking part in the SMF Step Challenge to raise money to enable others to follow in their footsteps.

EIBF, the charity that runs the scholarship scheme, is hoping to raise £200,000 to support four talented engineers to study for an MBA at one of the world’s leading business schools in 2025.

Last year, the same fundraising campaign raised £168,000, enabling individuals to study at renowned business schools like INSEAD, Stanford University, MIT Sloan School of Management and IESE.

For decades, the SMF scholarships were generously funded by Lord Sainsbury of Turville’s Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Since its inception in 1987, the programme has nurtured over 400 MBA graduates who have made a profound impact in business and society.

EIBF empowers engineers and scientists to become leaders in UK industry, helps them achieve their full potential and achieve their career goals.

SMFs are responsible for the creation of more than 300 startups and more than 20,000 jobs as well as mentoring the next generation of engineering professionals across the country.

Over 40% of SMFs currently hold executive board roles, while 35% have a non-executive position. SMFs have raised more than £2bn in venture capital or debt investments and more than half have had a direct impact on influencing public life.

Now, in a powerful move towards self-sustainability, the alumni themselves are stepping up to help fund the future of the programme.

This year’s SMF Step Challenge has already begun and will culminate during Giving Week (16-22 March 2025).

David Falzani MBE, President of EIBF, said: “The SMF Step Challenge is more than just a fundraiser. It’s a statement of our collective intent to giving back.

“We have all benefitted enormously from this opportunity and now it’s our chance to ensure the next generation of engineers can do the same.”

As well as providing a platform to progress their careers, the scholarship and network also provides SMFs with further opportunities to promote the values of combining business and technology. This includes invaluable mentoring to young engineers and scientists. 

EIBF also partners with 50 UK universities to sponsor enterprise competitions which give engineering and science students an early insight into the world of entrepreneurship and a chance to win prize money.