Engage

This opportunity is open to researchers at the Master's, PhD and PostDoc levels across any academic sector or discipline.

At the ideation stage of the start-up journey, the Engage programme is designed to foster entrepreneurial culture, to build capability and to encourage ambition, thus stimulating entrepreneurship in the economy. Specifically:

• Stimulate Innovation: Leverage women researchers' unique perspectives and expertise to encourage and facilitate the generation of novel ideas and creative solutions.
• Identify and Develop Opportunities: Help programme participants recognise and refine potential research-based business opportunities, turning innovative concepts into viable projects or ventures.
• Enhance Skills and Knowledge: Provide rigorous, structured training and resources to develop critical skills in entrepreneurship, commercialisation, and project management, empowering women to navigate the path from research to market successfully.
• Build a Supportive Network: Create an empowering community of peers, mentors, and industry experts to offer guidance, support, and collaboration opportunities, enhancing professional growth and fostering valuable connections.
• Address Specific Challenges: Offer targeted support to overcome the unique barriers women face in research, including access to follow-on funding and commercialisation accelerator programmes, to help advance ideas and careers.

Starting can often be the most challenging step. Participating in the programme provides numerous benefits:

• Clear path to commercialisation for academic research: Gain a structured and well-defined roadmap to translate academic research into marketable products and services.
• Enhanced professional capability: Acquire new skills, tools and knowledge that bolster your professional capabilities.
• Expanded peer network: Connect with diverse like-minded peers, leading to valuable connections and collaborations.
• Innovation and growth mindset: Develop a mindset focused on innovation, creativity, and continuous improvement.
• Recognition of individual strengths and talents: Discover and acknowledge your strengths and talents.
• Insights from entrepreneurial role models: Gain inspiration and practical advice from successful entrepreneurs.

Methodology for identifying and exploiting commercial opportunities: Develop a systematic approach to evaluating the commercial potential of your innovations and research outcomes.

We welcome Expressions of Interest from:

• Women researchers at the Master’s, PhD, and PostDoc levels across any academic sector or discipline attending a regional college, research centre or university.
• Must be resident in Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Key Dates

• Application Process Opens: Monday, 9 September 2024
• Researcher Briefing: Monday, 16 September 2024
• Application Process Closes: Monday, 30 September 2024
• Engage Shortlist Announced: Friday, 4 October 2024
• Engage Programme Commences: Monday, 14 October 2024
• Engage Programme Concludes: Monday, 9 December 2024
  
  Register here for the Researcher Online Briefing
  
  

Programme Schedule

• Workshop 01: Entrepreneurial Mindset, Monday, 14 October 2024
• Workshop 02: Opportunity Assessment, Monday, 21 October 2024
• Mentorship 01: One-to-one Meeting, Monday, 28 October 2024
• Workshop 03: Customer Centricity, Monday, 4 November 2024
• Workshop 04: Ecosystem Mapping, Monday, 11 November 2024
• Mentorship 02: One-to-one Meeting, Monday, 18 October 2024
• Workshop 05: Dynamic Delivery, Monday, 25 November 2024
• Showcase: Researcher Reflections, Monday, 9 December 2024

The Engage programme will be conducted virtually, featuring five online workshops scheduled from 9am to 12pm. Each participant will also receive two individual mentor meetings. Selected participants are expected to commit to attending all workshops and mentorship sessions, ensuring no scheduling conflicts. Additionally, participants should allocate one hour of work outside of the scheduled workshops.

Upon programme completion, fellows will receive a certificate of completion for 25 training hours. The Engage programme will be further enhanced with two months of alumni peer exchange and mentorship in Spring 2025, to signpost to next stage supports.

Engage is a competitive call for ambitious women researchers in the early stages of their academic journey. A maximum of 20 participants will be selected to join the programme cohort.

There is no cost to participate in this programme.

Applications for this programme have now closed.