Explore

Explore is an exclusive programme designed to increase visibility, unlock high-value networks and connect leaders of bold, IP-rich engineering ventures to global markets. 

Take the guesswork out of going international. Explore leverages the Royal Academy of Engineering’s unparalleled global network and convening power to open doors to world-class networks, exposure to investment, expertise and leaders.

Each round brings together a small, carefully selected cohort of entrepreneurs for a highly tailored experience. Co-designed around the cohort’s goals and challenges, the programme combines thematic expertise, one-to-one strategic coaching and a focused international mission – all aligned to a specific sector and market. The result is a targeted, high-impact journey that builds meaningful connections, unlocks new opportunities, exposure to investment and accelerates global readiness.

Explore harnesses the Academy’s expertise and unparalleled global network to deliver a bespoke 12-week programme to support leaders of bold, IP-rich engineering ventures to explore global markets. Each round, we home in a specific sector and global market and map the opportunities presented. From this a curated programme of strategic coaching, expert-led sessions and high-level introductions ensue. Embedded in the programme is an international mission – designed to spark insights, connections and opportunities from the outset and support entrepreneurs to explore global markets with confidence.

This is an exclusive opportunity open only to Enterprise Hub Members, now including Chairs in Emerging Technologies and Leaders in Innovation Fellowships.

What does this programme offer?

Over 12 weeks, EXPLORE delivers a high impact, highly personalised experience aligned to your sector, ambitions and the market in focus:

• A five-day international mission to the global market in focus, filled with curated meetings, ecosystem and networking opportunities, relationship building – all to accelerate development of on the ground connections, accelerate market understanding, visibility and strategic alignment
• 10 expert-led sessions with insights centred on capital, talent, market and intellectual property – tailored to your sector and growth stage.
• One-to-one strategic coaching from international and UK coaches to sharpen your goals, challenge your assumptions, and build clarity for what’s next.
• Up to £12,000 in equity-free grant funding for follow-on activity in the market – including follow up visits to nurture connections, partnership development, ongoing learning - all designed to support continued validation of your strategic growth opportunities
• Introductions to the Academy's prestigious global network including investors, corporations, Academy Fellows, expat communities, fellow leaders of bold, IP-rich engineering ventures as well as a tight knit cohort for mutual support.

What makes Explore different?

Unlike traditional international missions, Explore is deeply tailored, strategic and entrepreneur focussed. With a small cohort each time, the programming is co-designed to meet specific market ambitions and challenges.
What set it apart is the combination of:

• Individualised support through expert-led sessions and one-to-one strategic coaching
• Targeted access to high-quality networks, with doors opened with the backing of the Royal Academy of Engineering
• Thematic focus to home in on a specific sector and market, and the opportunities it presents
• Up to £12,000 equity-free grant to nurture follow-on activity in the market – including follow up visits, partnership development, ongoing learning all to support continued validation of strategic growth opportunities

Explore doesn’t just open the door – it supports leaders to walk through it with clarity, backing and intent.

Key growth areas 

The content is expert-led and driven by our cohort’s needs offering you access to, and insights from, a network of industry experts, investors, and business support providers. While each programme is tailored, the content spanning the sessions, mission and coaching centres on four strategic pillars:

• Capital: securing investment and understanding financial landscapes
• Talent: recruitment, leadership and building operational capacity in new markets
• Intellectual property: protecting and optimising IP strategies internationally
• Market: market insights, expansion realities, cultural fluency and navigating regulatory and political landscapes

Explore is designed to deepen your understanding of the global market, provided practical and leader-relevant support, and strengthen your social capital through an unmissable international mission to unlock new connections, insights and exposure to investment.

Who is the programme for?

This is an exclusive opportunity offered for Enterprise Hub Members and specific members of the Hub’s extended network.

We are looking for leaders of bold, IP-rich engineering ventures interested in market exploration aligned with the round’s sector and market focus who are: 

• Enterprise Hub Members who have successfully completed an Enterprise Hub programme (please note those who are active at the time of application deadline on any of the programmes are not deemed eligible)
• Leaders in Innovation Fellowships who have successfully completed an LIF programme and have settled in the UK (please note those who are active at the time of application deadline are currently active on any of the programmes are not deemed eligible)
• Chairs in Emerging Technologies who are currently active on the award.

You must be:

• Working in a company that is based in the UK and registered with Companies House (For multinational companies, the Head Office must be based in the UK).
• Able to commit to the international mission from 22nd-26th September - five full days, excluding travel, if successful. 

The Academy is committed to diversity and welcomes applications from women and other groups who are currently under-represented across engineering. 

Check your eligibility for the programme and review the Applicant Guidance Notes.

Your journey

Expression of interest - applications opening soon

To express your interest in applying for the upcoming Explore mission to San Francisco focussed on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning please fill in your details and a member of the team will contact you:

The Academy have made an assessment of the Explore scheme against the principles of the Subsidy Control Act 2022. The Scheme has also been published on the transparency database SC11083. Link to the subsidy doc.