The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Fellowships programme offers a unique opportunity to turn your engineering breakthrough into a successful startup or spinout.
With a proven track record, comprehensive support, expert feedback, mentorship, and financial freedom, this programme is designed to give you the best possible start on your entrepreneurial journey.
If you’re ready to take your idea to the next level, here are five reasons why you should apply today.
1. A proven track record of success
As one of the Financial Times leading start up hubs in Europe the Enterprise Hub has a remarkable 60% success rate for its awardees, compared to the global average of just 10% for startups over the first five years. Awardees have collectively raised nearly £600 million post-programme, and the startups that emerge from the programme boast a combined worth of £1.2 billion. This is a testament to the quality of support they receive during and after the programme.
We strongly support our awardees’ fundraising through training, networking, and business support; 77% of them raised grant funding and 58% equity. In total, our awardees have raised £560 million.
2. Comprehensive application support
Academics are used to applying for research grants, which are markedly different from business grant applications – so this can be a daunting task. The Enterprise Fellowships programme offers robust support to help you navigate this process. From one-on-one sessions to group workshops, the team provides the guidance you need to craft a strong, competitive application.
The application process itself is designed to challenge you and encourage you to think critically about your startup’s growth trajectory. Divided into three stages—two written submissions and an interview—the process goes beyond just asking about your research. It requires a deep dive into your business numbers, competitive landscape, and legal requirements. Even if you’re not selected, the experience of going through the application process will provide invaluable insights into the business side of your startup.
Answering the questions in our application process will give you a wider perspective of your startup’s business growth path.
3. Valuable expert feedback
One of the features of the programme is the detailed feedback provided to every applicant. Whether you receive an award or not, your submission will be reviewed by three experts drawn from the Royal Academy of Engineering’s fellowship, as well as investors and successful entrepreneurs. This expert feedback is not only technical but also business-focused, ensuring that you gain practical insights into how to improve your offering.
In a sector where many accelerators and organisations don’t provide feedback, the Enterprise Hub takes the time to ensure that every applicant benefits from the process.
4. Mentorship and lifetime support
The Academy is proud of the quality of its community. From business leaders to leading researchers and engineering innovators, we host a collective of world-class talent and experience that is hard to match.
When you join the programme, you gain access to the Academy’s network of top business leaders, researchers, and engineering innovators who are dedicated to helping you succeed. As an awardee, you’ll receive lifetime access to this invaluable network, as well as access to the Enterprise Hub’s facilities.
Each awardee is paired with a mentor who is specifically chosen for their relevance to your field. This mentor will not only provide guidance on your business environment but will also leverage their own network to help you make vital connections.
5. Financial freedom to focus on your business
A business can often start slowly as a side project alongside your day job. The programmes funding of £50,000 to £75,000 ensures that for the duration of your training and mentorship, you can be 100% committed to your startup or spinout without distraction.
Removing this financial burden also frees you up to be more experimental in implementing new ideas without worrying about the cost to yourself. It is not unusual for awardees to use part of their award to fund additional learning experiences. Twelve uninterrupted months of dedication to the startup can really help get it going.
The Enterprise Fellowships is a twelve-month accelerator programme designed to support talented researchers and graduates to transform breakthrough engineering innovations into disruptive spinouts and graduate startups. We have over ten years of experience helping graduates and researchers to take their technology from the lab into the marketplace.
As you get ready to take the leap into entrepreneurship, remember that the Enterprise Fellowships Programme is more than a launchpad—it is a commitment to your future, a partnership for growth, and a gateway to making a lasting impact on society.
Apply today and send an email to [email protected] if you have more questions about eligibility or the application process.