How does it work?
BBSRC ICURe takes the scientific method and applies it to commercialisation. Over a three-month period you will learn how to use this approach to test what your potential customers think about your idea, product or service.
In addition, you will receive training and interview practice, carrying out over 100 interviews across the marketplace and acquiring transferrable business and social skills.
Past participants say that having ICURe Explore support, training and funding to spend on customer discovery has dramatically changed their perspective on their innovation.
The research underpinning the bioscience innovation, products or services being carried forward for market exploration by the team must be building on a previous BBSRC or other UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant.
What does it include?
The programme includes:
- funding of up to £15,000 for market discovery activities and business advisor support
- cover for up to three months of the entrepreneurial lead’s salary, to fully support the time commitment for customer discovery activities while participating in the programme. Please note there is a salary cover cap of £20,000
- access to experts in bringing bioscience research to market, including weekly one hour coaching clinics
- access and proactive connections to our network of bioscience entrepreneurs, investors and funders
- game changing online delivery with opportunities for face-to-face interaction and networking
- four-day intensive bootcamp, delivered in a ‘blended’ format with two days in-person and two days online. You will learn how to talk about your bioscience technology to customers, develop a hypothetical business model, and identify your customers’ pain points. You will also create a detailed plan of your customer discovery journey
- three months of market validation using online software platforms, video conferencing and marketing tools, and face-to-face meetings where possible. This will involve targeting direct engagements with over 100 business leaders
- one day online pitch training where you will learn how to pitch your bioscience research to potential customers and investors
- the opportunity to pitch to an experienced panel of bioscience investors, funders, mentors and other stakeholders to help accelerate the impact from your research. The panel will give feedback on commercialisation pathways best suited for your project, which can include carrying out further public or private sponsored research, exploring licensing opportunities, or seeking public or private funding for spin-out
- selected teams will have the opportunity to access further financial support and apply for various follow-on funding pathways from UKRI
Teams eligible for spin-out support will be required to identify their roles in the future company. Any personnel change will need to be assessed for suitability by BBSRC and their delivery partners:
If the team is recommended for ICURe Exploit funding, the entrepreneurial lead is expected to be on the payroll of the new company funded through the Innovate UK business grant.
The entrepreneurial lead will be expected to commit full time for a minimum of a further 15 months.
Building on previous grants
The research underpinning the bioscience innovation and the products or services being carried forward for market exploration by the team must be building on a previous BBSRC or other UKRI grant.
The technology, product or service must be either:
- biological in nature
- interact with a biological entity
- involve a biological process
- address a biological challenge
We welcome applications from across the biosciences, including:
- agriculture and food
- healthy ageing
- engineering biology
- industrial biotechnology
- innovative tools and technologies underpinning biological research
What we will not fund
Applications based on medical or clinical devices and therapeutics being developed solely for a specific end-point clinical utility (including diagnostics) will not be accepted.
For example, if an applicant is developing a technology specifically for diagnosing or treating a specific disease, they would not be eligible for BBSRC ICURe.
However, if the applicant also aims to investigate other market opportunities for this technology outside of the health sector, for example for livestock, or if this technology can be pivoted and used as a platform technology then they would be eligible for BBSRC ICURe.
Applicants are strongly advised to contact us if they are unsure whether their application would fit the scope of the funding opportunity.
