EnterpriseTECH programme overviews

What do EnterpriseTECH and EnterpriseTECH STAR offer?

Our pair of 10-week-long programmes create a comprehensive pathway for researchers across all disciplines to immerse themselves in entrepreneurship and hone skills that foster personal and professional growth as entrepreneurs. Both programmes are interconnected educationally and practically, with EnterpriseTECH laying the groundwork before progressing to EnterpriseTECH STAR. To qualify for the latter, completion of EnterpriseTECH is a prerequisite.

Our aim is to co-create a new generation of science-minded researchers who value entrepreneurial thinking, creativity, confidence-building and hands-on experience, who are curious and motivated to join or establish their own unique ventures or move into the business world and be agents of transformation and change.

EnterpriseTECH

EnterpriseTECH delves into the process of turning early-stage technologies into viable commercial opportunities. Through a tailored lecture series, we offer a hands-on learning experience for students via project work and provide valuable commercialisation insights for inventors. This team-based programme assigns you to a carefully selected project, ensuring a collaborative learning environment. Running twice a year, it’s the ideal opportunity to expand your entrepreneurial skill set.

EnterpriseTECH STAR

We offer EnterpriseTECH STAR every 18-24 months as an opportunity for EnterpriseTECH graduates to refine their own business ideas in preparation for competitions, incubators, and accelerators. This educational programme focuses on building an early-stage venture and serves as a pathway for personal development as an entrepreneur. We select up to 20 individuals who have completed EnterpriseTECH and are eager to start developing their own business ideas, typically at a very early, unfunded, and conceptual stage. 

Have a look at what some of our alumni have done in our first three cohorts, they have been very impressive and a significant number of new companies have been formed, some of which are in the process of closing Series A funding.

Why is entrepreneurship education valuable?

Entrepreneurship education is more valuable than most people imagine at the outset. It equips you with real-world business knowledge, empowering you to increase your capacity for generating ideas while developing the skills needed to make them happen. Building this personal capacity strengthens competencies that contribute to rewarding, self-determined lives that add social, cultural and economic value to society.

Here are some examples to consider as a researcher looking into entrepreneurship, and wether it’s got the right fit for where you are at presently with your career plans: 

• Innovation and creativity: Develop innovative and creative thinking to approach research from new angles and devise unique solutions to complex problems.
• Communication skills: Learn to effectively communicate research findings and ideas to various stakeholders, such as funders, peers, and the public.
• Collaboration and networking: Foster cross-disciplinary partnerships and strengthen professional networks by collaborating with others within and outside the field.
• Expanding career opportunities: Explore various possibilities beyond traditional academic careers, including starting a business, consulting, or partnering with industry.
• Project and resource management: Optimise research efforts by learning effective project management and resource allocation techniques.
• Risk management and decision-making: Develop skills in risk assessment, risk management, and decision-making to confidently navigate uncertainties in research.
• Personal development: Cultivate a growth mindset, resilience, and adaptability, essential qualities for navigating the ever-changing research landscape.
• Commercialisation: Acquire the tools and knowledge needed to successfully translate research findings into marketable products or services.
• Building entrepreneurial skills: Gain practical skills in business planning, financial management, marketing, and sales to successfully launch and run a business.
• Fostering a risk-taking attitude: Embrace uncertainty and develop the confidence to take calculated risks in pursuit of goals.
• Exposure to success stories: Draw inspiration and motivation from case studies and testimonials of successful researchers-turned-entrepreneurs.
• Mentorship and support: Benefit from guidance, advice, and support from experienced entrepreneurs, mentors, and peers.
• Access to resources and tools: Utilise resources such as funding opportunities, incubators, accelerators, and co-working spaces to bring ideas to life and develop viable businesses.

Who attends the programmes as students?

Graduates, PhD students, postdocs, NHS medics, industrial professionals 

Our programmes are open to a wide range of individuals, including graduates, PhD students, postdocs, NHS medics, and industrial professionals. We welcome student applicants from diverse backgrounds who are pursuing or have already completed a graduate degree or engaged in research at the PhD or postdoctoral level. Additionally, we encourage industry professionals who are keen to expand their knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship to join us.

Geographical location

More than 90% of our students are from in and around Cambridge or institutions or organisations within one or two hours away by train. We understand that attending in-person classes, particularly on lecture-intensive days, may not be possible for everyone due to accessibility or geographical constraints. However, we’ve got you covered – we may offer online learning options as well, so you can participate in the programme from wherever you are. Please get in touch with our team to discuss your needs and explore the possibilities before you begin your application.

STEM influence

While our programmes are open to all of the above, we’ve noticed a natural evolution of EnterpriseTECH in terms of demand over the first five years, with an emphasis on science, healthcare, technology, and engineering. But don’t let that deter you – we’re committed to making our programmes as interdisciplinary as possible, so you’ll have the opportunity to engage with and learn from people in other fields, such as business, law, and social sciences.

At EnterpriseTECH, we value diversity and believe that everyone deserves the chance to advance their entrepreneurial education and succeed in their careers. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your skills to the next level, we’d love to have you on board.

Important note

Both programmes are mostly extracurricular, and with careful time management, they can fit around your day-to-day research and work responsibilities. For external applicants, being offered a place on one of our programmes does not constitute becoming a registered student at the University of Cambridge.

“

The EnterpriseTECH suite of programmes fulfils an important mission within the remit of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Cambridge Judge Business School. It is the knowledge gateway for the undergraduate and graduate student body of the University of Cambridge, and others for whom we are opening to in 2020-21, to the entrepreneurial acumen and skills that underpin the economic and social value creation that characterises today’s competitive economy. It convenes inventors, students across all disciplines, and business practitioners to seed the next generation of the Cambridge entrepreneurial ecosystem and in that respect, it complements the value that our departments across the University have been delivering. It is truly inspiring seeing the immense capabilities of this new generation of entrepreneurs and we, at the Entrepreneurship Centre, feel fortunate to be able to support them. ”

Stelios Kavadias, Margaret Thatcher Professor of Enterprise Studies in Innovation and Growth, Co-Director of Entrepreneurship Centre, Cambridge Judge Business School.

“

The biggest thing that UK universities should do to create more innovative science-based businesses is not to get young scientists to do ever more research, but rather to teach them enterprise skills – such as how to talk to customers, how to discover customer needs, and how to structure business models. This is exactly what EnterpriseTECH teaches its students. By giving them a ready-made technology to work with in their projects, they are able to skip a lot of the upfront development work and gain direct experience at taking products to market. Experiences like this are invaluable in producing the next generation of deep-tech innovators. ”

Dr Tom J. Simmons, Founder and CEO, Supplant