Engage aims to introduce tools for commercialisation and increase awareness about academic entrepreneurship as a pathway to impact.
Programme cohorts
Across 2024 and early 2025 the programme will run in cohorts specifically for the following five regions:
- Wales and the South West of England
- Midlands (England)
- Scotland
- South East of England and London
- Northern Ireland and the North of England
Upcoming cohort dates are available on the ICURe website.
We strongly encourage applications from each specific region and will give them priority.
Who can apply
The regional-focused cohorts of the BBSRC ICURe Engage are open to:
- bioscience students pursuing research master’s degrees
- PhD students at every stage of their programme
- postdoctoral research associates
- technicians interested in entrepreneurship
Applicants must be based in UK universities, BBSRC-funded institutes or approved public sector research enterprises.
You should apply if you have an interest in entrepreneurship. You do not need to already have an idea, as the programme provides you with the space and opportunity to think about impact, commercialisation and entrepreneurship differently.
See the full eligibility criteria on the ICURe website
What the programme includes
The BBSRC ICURe Engage programme is a four-week, part-time online programme, that includes:
- a two day online training bootcamp delivered by impact experts
- an introduction on how commercialisation of your research can deliver impact
- an introduction to ICURe, ideation and design thinking, value proposition canvas, and how a venture delivering impact may be funded
- weekly, hour-long conversations with peer group support and mentor for three weeks
- around five hours of self-study and research over the three weeks
- the production of a short video report reflecting on knowledge gained and the impact potential of your own research area
- a pathway towards accessing the BBSRC bioscience ICURe Discover and Explore programmes (please note that the successful completion of ICURe Engage will not offer an automatic entry to ICURe Discover and Explore)
How to apply
Apply using the online application form on the ICURe website.
The application form will ask a series of questions about you, your research project and your idea (if you have one).
There is a limited number of spaces on each BBSRC Engage cohort. We will support as many applications as possible. However, if needed, spaces will be offered on a competitive basis.
Last updated: 5 March 2024