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SETsquared, the Northby Northwest Partnership, Midlands Partnership, Innovate UK, UK Research and Innovation and the Department for ÌÇÐÄTV, Energy and Industrial Strategy, invite applications for their innovation to commercialisation of university research programme. This enables university research teams with commercially-promising ideas to get out of the lab and validate their ideas in the marketplace. The programme enables early-career researchers to undertake three months of full-time market assessment and to have meaningful conversations with prospective customers, regulators, suppliers, partners and competitors to validate the commercial potential of their research. At the end of the market validation activity, teams present their journey and identified opportunities to an options roundabout panel that will offer feedback and guidance on development pathways.

University research teams from all UK universities may apply. Teams must include the following members:

•a postdoctoral or junior researcher who is able to commit full-time for approximately three months on the programme, must be employed full-time by the university for the length of the programme and must have valid visas for major countries for international travel;

•a senior researcher who must be able to attend the bootcamp, options roundabout and support the programme until the end;

•a business adviser who will offer expert commercial guidance and support;

•a technology transfer officer who must attend the bootcamp and options roundabout, as well as support the team during the programme and continue to support the further commercialisation afterwards.

Funding is worth up to £35,000 over three months, with an additional amount worth up to £15,000 for business plan development, if approved, following the market validation activity.