EnterpriseTECH STAR

EnterpriseTECH STAR overview

EnterpriseTECH STAR is designed for alumni of EnterpriseTECH who want to turn their research (or other ideas) into new ventures that broadly align with UK Research & Innovation missions. We group these themes into ‘Earth’ and ‘Human,’ but don’t let these words limit your thinking if you have a different idea – they don’t limit ours.

Programme dates

Cohort V: 9 April-16 June 2025

Applications open: Monday 2 December 2024

Application deadline: Monday 17 February 2025

The EnterpriseTECH STAR experience

EnterpriseTECH STAR is an intense 10-week programme presented once a year for up to 20 people. The programme features face-to-face sessions every other week, including talks, workshops, and progressively challenging tasks. Participants also benefit from mentoring brunches with our enthusiastic and experienced mentors, who will help you grow as both an individual and an entrepreneur.

Ultimately, the programme is designed to help you build a compelling narrative around your business idea and flesh out the details. Many of our 70 alumni since 2019 have gone on to do great things, and you could too. While you don’t need to have established a company, and we look for great ideas – great people come first!

Personal and business idea programme tracks

A distinguishing feature of EnterpriseTECH STAR is the personal development our students experience as they find their entrepreneurial stride. You begin the programme with a business idea, and our aim is to help you take it to the next stage, whether that’s earning a place in an incubator or accelerator, winning a competition, or attracting pre-seed funding.

As you progress through the programme, you’ll develop along 2 tracks:

Personal track

Presenting and pitching skills: Work on your presenting and pitching skills to effectively communicate your ideas.
Voice coaching: Develop your voice through professional voice coaching.
Storytelling and creative performance: Hone your storytelling skills and creative performance.
Confidence building: Build confidence to face entrepreneurial challenges.
Leadership training: Work with leadership trainers and mind architects to prepare for the next stage of your venture.

Business idea track

Relevant modules: Engage in modules directly relevant to your ideas and products.
Network expansion: Enrich and expand your personal and business networks across the Cambridge-wide enterprise ecosystem.
Mentoring brunches: Receive individual attention from experienced and industry-specific mentors.

We guide you through accomplishing tasks that add essential documents and materials to your entrepreneur’s toolkit, including:

One-page business plan summary
Detailed business plan
Pitch and itch deck
Video pitch/interview
Professional photos
Jobs-to-do list

You’ll also receive valuable feedback on each of these from the programme team and mentors.

Benefits for participants

Overall, EnterpriseTECH STAR offers you a unique opportunity to develop both your personal and professional skills as an entrepreneur, gain valuable insights and guidance from experienced mentors and industry experts, and take the next steps towards getting your business idea off the ground.

Personal development: You can expect to gain more confidence with business literacy, leadership skills, and increased self-awareness in the entrepreneurship space.
Business development: You will receive guidance and support in developing your business ideas.
Networking: You will have plenty of opportunities to meet and network with programme speakers, mentors and industry-specific experts.
Incubator and accelerator opportunities: Successfully completing the programme brings with it quite a bit of exposure, our experience has been that you can expect to have a higher chance of earning a place in an incubator or accelerator, winning a competition, or attracting pre-seed funding.
Exposure to a wide range of industries: The programme is open to participants from all backgrounds, and you can expect to gain exposure to a wide range of tech-based sectors, which can provide valuable insight and inspiration.
Personal fulfilment: The programme can be an incredibly fulfilling experience, as you will have the have the opportunity to work on something you are passionate about. This can provide a sense of purpose and fulfilment that extends beyond (and for far longer) than the scope and duration of the programme itself.

Time commitment

EnterpriseTECH STAR is packaged as a 180-hour commitment over 10 weeks. The in-person contact time runs to 100 hours, with central modules (2-4) running on Fridays and Saturdays, with the exception of Module 1 which includes a Launch Evening and 3 full days on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and similarly for Module 5 in preparation for the Investor pitches and
Showtime!

The remaining 80 hours is an expectation of your own time spent working on developing your business idea across the duration of the programme and preparing for the tasks you are assigned during the contact time.

Our alumni continued with their primary courses and research by day, taking an organised approach to the programme demands as a largely extracurricular endeavour.

Anyone in doubt about the timeliness of embarking on this programme or the impact of the time commitment on their research should get in touch with the Programme Director to discuss early on. We expect all applicants to have the support of their research supervisor before accepting a place, if offered.