Early Career Researchers contributing to the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem 

Twenty early career researchers recently completed the Researcher to Innovator (R2I) programme, an exciting entrepreneurship training programme for researchers with ambitions to develop commercial ventures and create impact from their academic studies.

The Options Roundabout event on the 19th February was the culmination of the R2I programme which saw our researchers pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs, funders and commercialisation experts. The event which was an opportunity for the cohort to network and celebrate their achievements was hosted in our MEC Enterprise Zone, a dedicated entrepreneurship space in the Alliance Manchester Business School. 

The R2I programme aims to inspire and accelerate the translation of the knowledge created through academic research into products, services or processes to deliver tangible benefit through a series of bespoke workshops and mentoring opportunities. The workshops helped researchers articulate their ideas by taking them through a lean start-up pathway to explore the commercial potential of their research.

The Innovation Enabling Awards were granted to acknowledge the impact and growth potential with early career researchers receiving between £2,000 to £10,000 to further develop the commercial potential of their ideas and businesses.

Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation, presented the Innovation Enabling Awards to the five winning projects

 

Award Winners

Innovation Enabling Award: £10,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NeuWave – AI solutions for rapid offshore renewables transition

Jana Stella (School of Engineering)

 

Innovation Enabling Award: £5,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purple Point- A precise and cheaper option for defeating chlamydia

Jorge A. Servert (School of Biological Sciences)

 

Innovation Enabling Award: £3,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transforming ​the Future of ​Bone Implants

Dr Nazanin Mirhosseini​ (School of Engineering)

Innovation Enabling Award: £2,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roboglove

Dr Anthony Siming Chen (School of Engineering)

Innovation Enabling Award: £2,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISSCO (The Diabetes Severity Score)

Dr Salwa Zghebi (School of Health Sciences)

 

The prize winners will also receive expert support and signposting to regional and national accelerator programmes and all the participants on the programme will have access to further support, mentoring and guidance from internal professional support teams, including the opportunity to build relationships with business engagement, Innovation Factory and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre.

 

 

The organisers wish to thank the Engineers in Business Fellowship for their sponsorship of the Innovation Enabling Awards.

 

Get Involved

If you are an early career researcher looking for an exciting opportunity to develop your innovative thinking and enhance your understanding of creating and developing impact join the next round of the R2I programme. Find out more about the programme and how to apply in the upcoming Information Sessions for cohort 2 taking place on 20th and 21st March.

 

The MEC Researcher to Innovator (R2I) programme is supported by the University’s Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, the University of Manchester Innovation Factory and the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, bringing together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of research.

 

 

Twenty early career researchers recently completed the Researcher to Innovator (R2I) programme, an exciting entrepreneurship training programme for researchers with ambitions to develop commercial ventures and create impact from their academic studies. 

Read More Newsroom University of Manchester