UK-wide pre-accelerator helping university researchers validate their business ideas.
“Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research” (ICURe) is a 16-week full-time online customer discovery programme designed using lean start-up methodology and funded by Innovate UK.
It trains, funds and supports teams led by university early-career researchers to determine whether there is a market for products or services that utilise their research, science or technology. Each successful team will receive up to £30,000 of funding to ‘get out of the lab’ and validate their commercially-promising ideas in the marketplace.
“Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research” (ICURe) is a 16-week full-time online customer discovery programme designed using lean start-up methodology and funded by Innovate UK.
It trains, funds and supports teams led by university early-career researchers to determine whether there is a market for products or services that utilise their research, science or technology. Each successful team will receive up to £30,000 of funding to ‘get out of the lab’ and validate their commercially-promising ideas in the marketplace.
Weekly access to our team of experts and proactive connections to our network of entrepreneurs, investors and funders.
Our online delivery means that you can contribute to the programme flexibly at times that suit you.
A personalised report which includes data about your potential customers, competitors and suppliers plus a comprehensive overview of the intellectual property landscape for your sector.
Intensive 4-day online bootcamp where you will learn how to talk about your 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.
You will plan and execute 4 months of tailored customer discovery for your idea, product or service using online software platforms, videoconferencing and marketing tools. You will receive weekly 1-hour coaching clinics from experts in taking research ideas to market.
1-day online pitch training to teach you how to pitch your ideas to potential customers and investors.
The opportunity to pitch to an experienced panel of funders, stakeholders and investors to help accelerate the impact from your research.
Following the options roundabout, selected teams will receive a 3 further months of support and be eligible to apply for up to £300,000 of follow-on funding from InnovateUK.
Following the options roundabout, selected teams will receive a 3 further months of support to help conculde a commercial transaction in the form of a license agreement or industry funded collaborative R&D agreement.
The opportunity to pitch to an experienced panel of funders, stakeholders and investors to help accelerate the impact from your research.
ICURe is open to all University early career researchers (from Ph.D. to post-doctoral researchers) from across the UK. To apply, each early career researcher needs to build a team that includes their Principal Investigator, an Entrepreneurial Business Advisor and a representative from their University Technology Transfer Office (TTO).
We particularly welcome applications from Universities in the North of England, Scotland and North of Ireland. We are committed to improving diversity across our programmes and are actively seeking applications from under-represented groups including women, people of colour, those with disabilities, those from the LGBTQI+ communities and Universities who have not previously participated in our programmes.
We cannot accept applications from a team in respect of a project that has previously participated and benefitted from the ICURe programme.
Applications for the funding should be made by a team of 4 consisting of:
PDRA/Entrepreneurial Lead – must be an early career researcher and be able to commit full-time for 4 months on the programme and MUST be employed by the university for the length of the programme
Senior Researcher, MUST be able to attend the bootcamp, options roundabout and support the programme throughout the 4-month period
Business Adviser, motivated to offer expert guidance and support. Teams are encouraged to name an adviser in their application, however, if needed, we will help the team recruit a business adviser from a relevant industrial sector as a third team member
Technology Transfer staff (TTO) are encouraged to be a proactive part of the team as a “shadow” member. Their skills and expertise regarding understanding university process and policy are essential to getting the best out of the programme.
Dr Howard Moshtael, University of Edinburgh
Creator of SmartScroll, Physicist and Engineer
ICURe 2019
Applications for ICURe are now closed.
The online application form will ask you a series of questions about you, your team and your project. It will be a competitive process. You will need to have engaged with your University Technology Transfer Office (TTO), a business mentor and your Principal Investigator prior to applying.
Dr Chistina O’Neill, Queen’s University Belfast
Stem cell researcher and ICURe 2018
Support to cover 4 months’ salary and customer discovery activities, as follows
Salary – Up to £20,000 support to cover 4 months ECR salary.
Activities – Up to £10,000 support for
Market validation tools & idea testing support
Travel & subsistence
Business Adviser
We’d love to hear from you with any questions you have about the programme or how it works.
Click the button below to email Deirdre Hughes, our Programme Administrator. re