Scholarship Overview
The Royal Academy of Engineering's Enterprise Fellowships program stands as a prestigious opportunity designed to empower innovative and creative entrepreneurial engineers from around the globe. Targeting recent graduates, researchers, and international PhD students based in the UK, the fellowship focuses on developing cutting-edge engineering innovations. The program is committed to equipping awardees with essential skills, experience, and a supportive network, fostering the growth of their entrepreneurial ventures in the engineering field.
Host Institution(s)
The Royal Academy of Engineering, located in the UK, is the host institution for this esteemed fellowship. It is renowned for promoting engineering excellence and innovation across various sectors, supporting the advancement of engineering research and its application.
Level(s)/Field(s)
This fellowship is tailored for postdoctoral candidates specializing in the field of engineering. It is specifically designed to support three categories of individuals: recent graduates aiming to create a company, researchers looking to spin out a company from a university or research institute, and international PhD students in the UK planning to spin out or start up. The program covers a wide spectrum of engineering disciplines, encouraging applications from a diverse range of engineering backgrounds.
Scholarship Value
Enterprise Fellowships offer a substantial package to support the entrepreneurial journey of the recipients, including:
- An equity-free startup funding grant of up to £75,000,
- Expert business mentoring and coaching,
- Comprehensive business training spanning 15 days,
- Membership to the Academy's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion toolkit,
- Access to a vibrant community of Hub Members, Academy Fellows, investors, industry experts, and partners,
- Flexible working space at the Taylor Centre,
- Lifetime Hub membership.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the Enterprise Fellowships encompasses a broad range of criteria aimed at identifying individuals with high potential for innovation and leadership in engineering entrepreneurship. Applicants must:
- Demonstrate proficiency in English,
- Originate from any country worldwide,
- Have an innovation with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4 or above,
- Possess less than £500,000 in equity investment,
- Own or co-own the intellectual property of their innovation,
- Hold the highest equity stake within the founding team and aspire to be the CEO or COO,
- For startups: not be a student or employed elsewhere during the program,
- For spinouts: be currently employed by the university,
- Ensure PhD viva, if relevant, is scheduled no later than the specified date.
Application Instructions
Applying for the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowships involves a two-stage process. Initially, applicants must register and submit a brief overview of themselves and their idea via the official application system. This first stage assesses eligibility and suitability without evaluating the quality of the idea. Successful candidates are then invited to the second stage, requiring a detailed proposal encompassing information about the team, technology, and business model. This stage is meticulously reviewed by a panel of experts, with selected applicants proceeding to an interview. Deadlines for applications are set for Stage 1 in August and Stage 2 in October.