APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN. DEADLINE: 4TH MAY 2020.
https://www.nxnwpartners.org/our-programmes/icure
Calling all PhD students and early-career researchers!
Do you have an innovative idea you would like to spin-out but need to do more market research first? Then ICURe is the channel for you.
What is it?
It is a 4-month 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. Past participants say that having 4-months of support, dedicated time and funding to spend on customer discovery has dramatically changed their perspective on their innovation.
What does it include?
Funding support up to £30, 000 (salary costs plus customer discovery activities)
Access to experts in bringing research to market
Game changing online delivery
Market intelligence
Bootcamp training
4 months of market validation
Pitch training
Options roundabout pitches
Business planning support
Who is eligible?
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.
How do I apply?
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.
What are the next steps?
Please contact Fiona Mason, Head of BE and IP Commercialisation to progress your idea: f.mason@napier.ac.uk | ext. 3357