Applying to EnterpriseTECH STAR

Application guidance

We aim to recruit outstanding individuals from all backgrounds who have a research-centred professional life, such as PhD candidates or postdoctoral researchers. For interest, of the 54 alumni, at the time, 45 were PhD students, 4 were postdocs, 1 was a Master’s student and 4 were undergraduates or medics.

We often get asked how solid a business idea one needs to have to apply. The answer is – that depends. While your idea needs to be well-researched with some initial results and an idea of the market, it’s important to remember that we’re primarily interested in developing the person with the idea. Take that as, roughly, a focus on the person (70%) and the idea (30%).

When applying, you are asked to submit a summary of your idea, including what problem it solves, who the potential customers are, and what your initial research and results have been. Along with this, we’ll ask for a CV, personal statement, and a self-reflective piece about your experience on EnterpriseTECH. We also require that you have the support from your primary researcher supervisor, where necessary, which every university or organisation your are linked to.

Some of the business ideas we have helped our students develop in the past have fitted into two themes, helping the Earth and helping humans.

Earth-themed business ideas

• Efficient and durable wireless charging system for electric vehicles.
• Smart solutions for increased road safety.
• Hardware-enabled cybersecurity fighting against counterfeit, compromised and recycled electronics.
• Novel CPU architectures.
• Restoring soil health.
• Novel possibilities for pest management.
• Biosynthetic leathers for the high-value fashion market.
• Self-healing concrete.
• Growing landscapes of the future.

Human-themed business ideas

• Personalised genome editing.
• Quantification of short and long RNAs in an innovative platform technology.
• A diagnostic assay for dementia.
• Navigation cognitive assessments for earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease.
• RNA expression assay for accurate treatment of ovarian cancer.
• Non-invasive brain monitoring.
• Metabolic disordered organs in a dish.
• Unlocking the therapeutic potential of lymph nodes for cancer treatment.
• Human brain neural interfacing.

Cohort IV application dates

• Monday 24 April 2023 – Applications open
• Wednesday 10 January 2024 – Application deadline
• Monday 15-Friday 19 January 2024 – Interviews (in person)

Programme dates for April-June 2024

Wednesday 10 April	Launch event
Thursday 11-Saturday 13 April	Module 1: People and Products
Friday 26-Saturday 27 April	Module 2: The Market Place
Friday 10-Saturday 11 May	Module 3: CEO 101
Friday 24-Saturday 25 May	Module 4: Personal Expeditions
Thursday 6-Saturday 8 June	Module 5: First Class Delivery
Monday 10 June	Investor pitches
Wednesday 12 June	Showtime! finale
Monday 17 June	Submission deadline