Our nine-month venture programme turns PhD students into venture scientists
What makes
Conception X unique?
We help PhD students launch deeptech startups based on their research, connect with industry experts and become eligible for innovation grants, awards and venture capital funding.
How Conception X works
Our programme is mostly virtual, with some events in London, and designed to fit the intensive research schedules of PhD students. It lasts 9 months, March-November.
Cohort 7 launches in March 2024. Apply by 4 February to be considered.
We offer the following:
and technology
coaching
to expert network (industry, investors, academia)
entrepreneurial
training
and community
events
for selected
finalists
Note: Our three-year partnership with XTX Ventures supports 6-12 new companies per cohort,
with a typical cheque size of £100,000.
Two-track approach
For PhD students ready to build startups. More one-to-one support given and commitment required.
For PhD students interested in developing their business skills through training designed for STEM researchers.
Who can apply?
To be eligible for the Conception X programme, students must:
What our alumni say
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There are so many tools that Conception X has equipped me with that have been instrumental in getting us this far. After sitting at a desk for so long, as it’s often the case with PhD research, Conception X has given me the springboard to get out into the world and talk to people.
The approach and progress of my PhD has been significantly improved on the back of some of the things I have learnt at Conception X. Being exposed to the difference between purely problem-based thinking (i.e. academia) and more value-based thinking has been an eye opener and has led me to change the way I implement my research.
