Imperial Enterprise Lab - Imperial College London

The programme supports 25 teams through an intensive 3-month period, including 1-to-1 coaching, expert meetings, evening workshops, and pitch training. It has 5 tracks: AI & Robotics, Creative & Consumer, Digital & Finance, Energy & Environment, and Health & Wellbeing. Participants can win prizes from a total fund. Eligibility requires the team lead to be a current Imperial student, recent alumnus (within 3 years of graduation), or Early Career Researcher, and having raised less than £100,000 in funding (other than grant funding). IP expertise is provided.

The programme is an Imperial-led innovation sprint open to students and offer holders from Imperial College London and partner universities worldwide. It features mixed teams (3-6 members, from at least 2 faculties), delivered online with live masterclasses and pre-recorded content. Teams build skills in design thinking, Lean Canvas, and high-impact pitching. Participants connect with Imperial students and postgraduates and earn a certificate. There are four challenge tracks: Climate & Sustainability, Health & Technology, Space, Security & Connectivity, and Smart Cities & Urban Futures. Mentorship sessions with experienced founders and experts are provided. Eligible participants include current Imperial students, recent alumni (within 2 years), Imperial postgraduate offer holders, and students from designated partner universities.

The programme includes tailored coaching, access to a global network, a fully funded two-week bootcamp in Accra, Ghana (January), and ongoing online support with business coaching and expert-led sessions. Select participants are invited to a Capstone in London, UK (May) to pitch to investors. Startups can apply for equity-free grant funding. It targets growth-stage startups across all sectors, particularly those with technology-enabled solutions or ventures benefiting from scientific expertise. Eligibility requires the startup to be a registered legal entity, demonstrate innovation, be beyond the idea/prototype stage, actively operating for at least twelve months, have a product/service available to customers, demonstrate customer demand, and create positive economic, social, or environmental outcomes. Fellows must be citizens of eligible low- or middle-income Commonwealth countries, permanently resident there, fluent in English, and available for the in-person components.

The programme is a collaboration between the Imperial Enterprise Lab and Undaunted, bringing together a network of university-led regional hubs. It offers tailored support including access to technical and manufacturing facilities (via pre-paid vouchers up to an estimated value), legal assistance with IP and manufacturing compliance, 1:1 investment readiness coaching, networking with investors and corporates, workshops on financial modelling and non-dilutive funding, storytelling training, and support for developing scaling roadmaps. It also provides peer coaching, workshops on recruitment, leadership and wellbeing support, and guidance on policy and regulatory compliance. Eligibility requires ventures to be developing solutions for net zero or climate change mitigation/adaptation, registered and operating in the UK, at Technology/Software Readiness Levels 5 or 6, and have raised seed investment. The support is offered free of charge, with no equity taken.

The programme runs from January to June, supporting 25 women-led teams. It includes expert-led masterclasses, personalised coaching, and mentoring, with participants gaining access to an Experts-in-Residence service and a support network of women founders. The programme culminates in a pitch competition where finalist teams compete for equity-free prize funding. Eligibility requires the team lead to be legally recognised as female and a current Imperial student, recent alumnus (within 2 years), or Early Career Researcher. In-person attendance for programme sessions is required.