This Accelerator is a highly competitive opportunity to develop your concept/technology with full support from a team of industry experts covering everything you would need to know to launch and lead an engineering biology start-up*.

Developed in partnership with UKRI, our programme unites the collective expertise of 8 expert delivery partners and connects you to our wider network of more than 35 deep tech companies and 13 strategic partners.

Our intensive 9-week programme starts with a week long bootcamp featuring back-to-back training from our delivery partners.

You then have 8 weeks to accelerate your idea with continual support from our team, either here in Bristol or remotely with regular check-ins throughout.

The programme will look at developing your skills as an entrepreneur, creating the growth strategy for your start-up or future business, ensuring a good market fit, team structure, a clear research map and fundraising plan.

The programme comes with financial support for all participants.

Successful graduates for the programme will then be invited to apply for feasibility funding** - to turn your ideas into reality.

*The programme is open to individuals who want to launch a company as well as individuals who already have early stage start-ups.

**Candidates must have a UK-registered company by the end of the programme to be eligible for feasibility funding. The de minimis award is subject to minimum financial assistance rules. Please see FAQs for full details.

The programme is full time for 9 weeks and comes with:

• Access to expert training, mentoring and support throughout the Accelerator programme from both our project team and highly experienced delivery partners.
• £20K pro rata support throughout the programme (amounting to £3.9K).
• Additional travel & hotel budget for required in-person days.
• Discretionary budget for additional training or support services up to £1000.
• Opportunity to apply for £50K of equity-free feasibility funding* at the end of the Accelerator.
• Access to a growing network of strategic partners including Science Creates member benefits where available.**
• Individual access to Accelerator hot desking office space within our Old Market incubator building until December 2024.

*Candidates must have a UK-registered company by the end of the programme to be eligible for feasibility funding. The de minimis award is subject to minimum financial assistance rules. Please see FAQs for full details.

**Member benefits are provided at the discretion of external partners and may be subject to change.

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We are looking for a mixture of entrepreneurial candidates from a variety of scientific backgrounds, both academic and industrial, who want to launch a company to take an engineering biology concept / technology to market.

You can apply with a concept, early-stage existing technology or a very early-stage start-up*.

The concept/technology must have an engineering biology focus.

Please note that we have a very strict description on engineering biology: the application of rigorous engineering principles to the design of biological systems. Find out more about how UKRI defines engineering biology and for further details on the 4 pillars of interest.

Your application will not be considered for the Accelerator if the idea / technology you are applying with not fall within the scope of engineering biology.

If you have any additional requirements you would like us to be aware of or consider as part of the application, there is a section within the expression of interest and more details on the accessibility in our FAQ.

*Candidates must have a UK-registered company by the end of the Programme to be eligible for feasibility funding. The de minimis award is subject to minimum financial assistance rules. Please see FAQs for full details.

The application process is in 3 parts:

1. Expression of interest

2. Full application

3. Video call interview

The expression of interest assesses the scope and applications of your concept/technology and its fit for the Accelerator. We also ask for questions to assess your motivation for applying to the programme. The expression of interest application is blinded.

Successful applicants are invited to submit a full application that looks at their technology, presentation skills and entrepreneurial aptitude in more detail.

Successful applicants will be invited to a final 15-minute interview (remote).

The application questions you are asked will vary slightly depending upon whether you are applying with or without an existing company; this is to ensure you are asked appropriate questions. Neither application type is considered as advantageous.

If you want to see a full list of the questions before submission, you can download the question list by selecting Apply Now.

We are fully committed to ensuring our application process is fair and inclusive.  Places on the programme are rewarded on merit. If you have accessibility requirements or concerns which require consideration in relation to the application or interview, please get in touch.