FAQ

We’re looking for ambitious individuals who are committed to becoming entrepreneurs and driving their ideas forward. You should normally be an experienced mid/late-career engineer or tech professional who is seeking a career change. You should have an aptitude for creativity, problem solving and design and be passionate about your innovation and the problem it sets out to solve.

Not necessarily. You should have essential engineering or technical know-how to apply to the programme. This can either be through a qualification or engineering employment. You should have technical understanding in the area of your innovation.

No. This programme is for very early stage entrepreneurs who are just starting their business journey. People join the programme from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and we ensure that the training and support we provide is for people who do not necessarily have previous experience.

We define engineering in its broadest sense encompassing a wide range of diverse fields. We do not have a preference for any particular sector of engineering. Examples of sectors we support include medtech, cleantech/sustainability tech, automotive, space and satellite, materials, AI, or hardware. If you are not sure if your idea counts, please contact the programme team to discuss.

We are unable to support software engineering companies or SAAS unless the tech involves a form of innovative/proprietary underpinning, i.e. blockchain, AI or machine learning. 

If the company you have set up is essentially a shell company, then, yes, you can apply. If you have already started raising investment, then you are likely too late-stage to benefit from this programme. You could consider instead the Enterprise Fellowships scheme or Shott Scale Up Accelerator.

An app or website is not in itself an innovation, they are methods of delivery. If there is an engineering innovation behind the app or website which could be protected as a form of intellectual property (such as a patent or know-how) then you may be eligible. As a simple test, if another company could easily replicate the app or website once they have seen it then it’s likely not an innovation. If you are unsure, please contact the programme team to discuss. 

No. The programme aims to support new solutions which are scalable, whereas a consultancy based upon the specialist knowledge of a select number of individuals is not in this sense scalable, so you will not be able to make the best use of the support on offer. Consultancy may be your plan to sustain your new startup in the early stages, but it shouldn’t be your long-term goal. 

You should already have an idea where the concept is formulated and you have identified a practical application for the innovation (i.e., Technology Readiness Level 2 or above). You should be at the stage where you need to refine your innovation, test the market, and validate your customer base. If you already have an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) or you have more than a few limited sales, you will be too late-stage for this programme.

Yes. You must be resident in the region where you are applying to take part in the programme, or based in a nearby area and able to attend training sessions in one of the stated locations within a reasonable travel distance.  You must be committed to establishing your new startup in that region of the UK.

In the beginning

• We’ll run a welcome day in each training location so that you can meet the programme team and the others in your cohort. This will be an information session where we tell you all about what’s coming up and how to get involved, and also a social occasion to give everyone chance to get to know each other.
• We will also add you to our online community platform where you can chat to others and download resources. For this cohort, the welcome sessions will be held in early March 2025.

Ongoing involvement

• For the day-to-day, you will be working on your new startup in your own workspace, be it at home, in a co-working area, or an office. While we expect you to be spending the vast majority of your time working on your new business, you can do this flexibly.
• You will be invited to attend in-person training sessions approximately every 2-3 weeks during the first four months of the programme. These will be held at a central location in one of the cities where you have chosen to participate, and a typical day will be from 10 – 4pm with lunch and refreshments provided. The rest of your cohort will be there as well so you’ll have lots of opportunities to support each other and make new friends.
• Each session will be delivered by an expert trainer focusing on business topics such as marketing, sales, value proposition, finance or pitching, enabling you to build your knowledge, skills and confidence. We don’t expect you to have any prior knowledge of running a business, so everyone will be joining the programme with different levels of experience and we can signpost resources if you wish to do some extra reading.
• Throughout the course of the programme, you will also have 1-2-1 sessions with a coach. These sessions are to help you develop your leadership skills, work through individual challenges and find the right path for your startup.
• The programme team is also here to support you throughout the course of the programme. We will regularly check in with you to see how you’re doing and any help or support we can offer you. We will also usually be attending the training days and are always keen to have a chat.
• The Enterprise Hub has an exceptional network that we can connect you into. As you progress your startup, we will help you to find the right people to talk to. There will be various online forums and events you can get involved with, as well as in-person activities in the regions as well as at the Academy’s main headquarters in central London.

The end of the programme

• You will be invited to attend a graduation event in London where you will officially become a Hub member and part of our alumni community. As a Hub member you will continue to have access to the Academy’s workspaces in London and Belfast, and exclusive events and opportunities.
• While it is up to you how you continue your startup after you’ve completed Regional Talent Engines, the team will be regularly signposting other opportunities, including funding calls, accelerators and competitions, to help you continue growing your new business.

For more information about the contents of the programme please read the guidance notes or contact the programme team directly.

Applicants must be able to commit for six months to pursuing their startup.

If selected for interview, you will be invited to attend three online training sessions of approximately 2 hours each to work on your project pitch. Following the formal interview process, successful candidates will be expected to attend approximately eight days of training over the course of the programme.

You will also be required to attend coaching sessions which are delivered online at a time to suit you, and there will be other events and online sessions that you will have the option to join. At the end of the programme you will be invited to join a graduation day in London.

This is a full-time programme and you will be expected to spend the vast majority of time pursuing the aims of developing your innovation and associated startup, though we encourage you to work flexibly to suit your needs.

The in-person training sessions run from 10-4pm.

For any mandatory programme activities, such as training days, travel costs will be eligible for reimbursement in line with our expenses policy. If you are successful in being accepted onto the programme, you will receive a grant to cover your living costs for the duration of the programme.

Places on the programme are awarded without charge. We do not charge fees or take an equity stake. 

If you are successful, your funding will be awarded under the Academy's Basic Terms and Conditions. Any awards made will use the subsidy appendix.

This agreement has been developed to ensure funding aligns with our Academy values, is used for the purposes for which it was awarded and is managed in compliance. 

With the exception of the pre-interview pitch boot camps which are delivered online, the programme training sessions will be delivered in-region. The cities we will deliver the programme in are Belfast, Swansea, Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle. You will be required to indicate at application stage the region in which you are applying to participate and where you are based. Training sessions are delivered at a venue in a central location, from 10 – 4pm on training days, of which there are 8 during the first four months of the programme. 

In each regional group, there will be approximately 5-9 entrepreneurs attending training with you. This will give you the opportunity to form a peer group so that you can support each other, celebrate achievements together and make new contacts.

All applications will be checked internally for eligibility by the programme team and reviewed by an assessment panel consisting of Fellows of the Academy and key regional entrepreneurship and engineering stakeholders. Applications will be reviewed against the criteria listed in the guidance notes.

Selected applications will then be invited to the prepare for the formal interview stage. At interview you will be invited to present your project plan and take part in a Q&A session with the interview panel who will assess the proposal against the criteria, and also the feasibility of next steps and your project plan. The panel will then select up to 10 candidates per region to progress onto the programme.

The selection panel is made up of a number of reviewers who agree to a confidentiality agreement before they join the panel. If they declare a conflict of interest with any applicants, they will not have access to that particular application. Members of the Enterprise Hub team will also be able to view the applications. Details of the applications will be kept confidential within the review process.

After the programme ends, we will host a graduation day at the Academy’s headquarters in London.  If you successfully complete the full programme, you will be invited to become a Hub Member, and you will continue to receive an exceptional package of lifetime support, including access to our facilities, training opportunities, PR and media support, network of investors, experts, advisors and Academy Fellows.

While it is up to you what you go on to do after the programme ends, we will regularly signpost funding opportunities and other support programmes that you can apply to to continue growing your startup.