2019 Postdoc Business Plan Competition
The 2019 Grand Finale event will be at Downing College on 31st October 2019
About this Event
*Supported by the Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge (EPoC), with special thanks to our event sponsors, Taylor Vinters and Hardcastle Burton.
The format to the Grand Finale of the Postdoc Business Plan Competition is similar to that observed on The Dragon’s Den; attendees will see six finalists pitching their business ideas to a panel of expert judges.
The audience shall comprise some 130+ attendees, made up of academics, researchers, University staff, business experts, members of the Cambridge Enterprise Venture Partner network and others closely aligned to the entrepreneurial ecosystem within Cambridge. Winners will be announced, and prizes awarded.
Order of evening:
- 6 pm - drinks reception (Grace Howard Room)
- 6.30-8 pm - Grand Finale event commences (Howard Theatre)
- 8 pm to late - drinks and canapes (Grace Howard Room)
Guest speakers include:
- Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations
- Giorgia Longobardi, Founder of Cambridge GaN devices
- Tongtong Zhu, Founder of Poro Technologies and 2018 competition winner.
Host speakers (and competition judges) include:
- Andrew Williamson, Managing Partner at Cambridge Innovation Capital
- Anne Dobree, Head of Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds
- Ashutosh Trehan, President of The Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge.
- Dr Iris Good, Cambridge Enterprise Investment Committee
10th October
EPOC Meeting
Postdoc Centre @ 16 Mill Lane
Do you want to see how EPOC committee works?
Do you want to join EPOC as a committee member in the future?
Come along to our next committee meeting.
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12th September
How to start a business in Genomics
Wellcome Genome Campus, BioData Innovation Centre, Hinxton, CB10 1SA
Genomics is proliferated with commercial opportunities, new ideas and innovative technologies waiting to be licensed and developed into a world-class cutting edge product. More and more, a solid entrepreneurial skillset will come in just as useful as a dab hand in the laboratory.
Join us for a stimulating discussion with startup founders in the field of Genomics - we will explore how to build and launch a startup in this field and what has to be done differently to help them succeed in a highly regulated market.
Come armed with your questions!
Moderator
Ashutosh Trehan - EPOC President and Postdoc at LMB
Panelists
10th July
EPOC Meeting
Postdoc Centre @ 16 Mill Lane
Do you want to see how EPOC committee works?
Do you want to join EPOC as a committee member in the future?
Come along to our next committee meeting.
11th July
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How to Build an Early Stage Start-up Team
University of Cambridge Judge Business School
You have a great idea and want to start a company, but embarking on such an adventure by yourself seems like a daunting task.
- Who should you pick to be on your team on the road to success?
- What should you look for and what should you avoid in picking co-founders?
- What is the best way to attract the right talent and keep them on board?
Join us for an evening at the Judge Business School where these questions and others will be answered by Simon Stockley (MBA), faculty member at JBS and social entrepreneur.
As always, refreshments will be provided. Who knows, you might even meet your co-founder amongst the audience. Come, learn, network and you might be inspired to launch or join a startup!
This event is a great opportunity for EPOC members and Cambridge Judge Launchpad students to network and connect.
10th June 2019
From Early Career Researcher to Entrepreneur
We are excited to hold an event ZINC that will bring together researchers from different institutions and disciplines who are interested in entrepreneurship and want to find out more, with a stellar line-up of invited speakers including David Halpern and others.
It will be an interactive and informal session, that will highlight individual stories of 'entrepreneurial academics', and stimulate conversations around how researchers can build their own businesses, including associated challenges and opportunities.
6th June 2019
An introduction to business modelling - a guide for postdocs
This workshop will provide postdocs with an overview to business modelling and will take them through how to use the business model canvas effectively when applying to the 2019 Postdoc Business Plan Competition.
The event will be run by Ludo Chapman of The Innovation Practice. Ludo has over 30 years’ business experience launching and leading start-ups. He started out by setting up a software training company before becoming CEO of a scientific instrument business.
For more info and to register click here
15th May 2019, 17:30
How to write a business plan: A guide for postdocs
Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), University of Cambridge, Lecture Rooms 1 & 2 , 17 Charles Babbage Road , Cambridge, CB3 0FS
Are you a postdoc engaged in innovative research? Are you looking to start a company? Perhaps you’ve got an idea, but you need help getting it down on paper?
If so, Cambridge Enterprise and The Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge (EPoC) shall be hosting a workshop on the skills you will need to get your idea off the ground.
The workshop shall be run by Adelina Chalmers a.k.a. “The Geek Whisperer”. Adelina helps Cambridge University start-ups secure millions of pounds of investment and specialises in helping researchers become entrepreneurs.
1st May 2019
Business Plan Competition Launch Night
Pizza and refreshments provided!
Are you a Cambridge postdoc working on innovative research? Do you have a great business idea? Are you looking to start a company or join an entrepreneurial team?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of the above, then the Postdoc Business Plan Competition is the ideal platform for you.
3rd April 2019
Funding a business from scratch in Cambridge
18:00 - 20:30 Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane
Do you have an idea/startup and are you looking to raise investment/funding?
Then join us in April, where we will hear from:
- Arun, Innovate UK’s support for start ups
- George (Metro Bank) on the types of funding, timing in the business lifecycle, and what a funder wants to see and when
- Simon, CEO of Paragraf and his perspective on fundraising
Followed by networking (beer + pizza).
Sponsored by Metro Bank.
07 March 2019
From Researcher to start-up founder
6-8pm, 16 Mill lane Postdoc centre
EPOC are looking forward to welcoming Slaven Stekovic, PhD, Founder of TLL The Longevity Labs and current MBA student at the Judge Business School, who will talk about his journey from PhD to startup founder and how you can also build a business from your research.
27 February 2019
From Inventor to Innovator
6-8.30pm, 16 Mill lane Postdoc centre
Are you ready for the next step to make your innovative idea/project a reality?
EPOC are excited to host Yupar Myint, Head of Impulse and a few of their alumni, to discuss how you can transform your innovative research idea/ project into a “high potential” business case.
Followed by networking.
07 February 2019 - What do investors look for
with Entrepreneur First
While it has never been easier to start a technology company, and every day there’s new story of a startup raising money, what investors look for is still an elusive question to most early stage entrepreneurs.
EPOC and Entrepreneur First, explored what investors really look for, from both angles - the investor and the entrepreneur - and come away with tangible advice for your future.
We heard from Allister Furey, the European Managing Director at Entrepreneur First and Robert Stojnic, the founder of Atlas ML, a development platform for Machine Learning, formerly CTO for Cambridge based GeneAdvisor.
11 December 2018 - How to start business from scratch
EPOC have been pleased to host Metro Bank, Deloitte and Taylor Vinters who told us all we need to know about starting a business in Cambridge. It covered every conceivable thing you might want to know, including:
- How to take advantage of the Cambridge Cluster
- Who to talk to about funding at various stages of growth
- The role of the various professionals alongside an early stage business
and much more. Followed by networking and beer & pizza!
26th November 2018 - How to get into Y Combinator
EPOC were proud to host Dr. Tom Simmons, CEO of Cambridge Glycoscience, former president of EPOC and former Postdoc in the Biochemistry Department, for an interactive discussion on starting a biotech business in Cambridge and moving to Silicon Valley to take part in Y Combinator.
The talk has been followed by a networking session with beer and pizza.
12th November 2018 - EPOC Annual General Meeting (AGM)
On Monday 12th November EPOC has held its last AGM, during which the new president Ashutosh Trehan has been elected and the last year activities have been summarised
If you have any questions, please reach out to us by email via:
epoc@admin.cam.ac.uk
01 November 2018 - Business Plan Competition
Register now to secure your place!
Six finalists pitching to a panel of judges for their chance to win investment in their business idea. Winners will then be presented with First, Second and Third prize awards.
- Date: Thursday 1 November 2018
- Time: Registration and welcome drinks from 6 pm with a 6.30 pm start
- Venue: The Theatre, Peterhouse, Cambridge.
Current confirmed speakers include:
- Hanbin Ma, Founder of ACXEL & 2017 competition winner
- Professor Andy Neely, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Relations
- Srishti Gupta, President, Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge (EPoC)
Thursday 15th March 2018
Talk: Innovation and Entrepreneurship from a research lab
On the 15th March we have been delighted to host Dr. Lianne Taylor for an interactive discussion on how your skills as a research scientist are useful in business and entrepreneurship.
Dr Lianne Taylor presented her own entrepreneurial research, practical experience and academic benchmarking to help your own decision-making, risk awareness, biases and opportunity recognition as you consider the next steps with your ideas and innovations.
Monday 26th February 2018
What does it take to go from being an inventor to an innovator?
Find the answer in this interactive session from the team who run the Impulse programme - an entrepreneurship programme for tech innovators. We'll also hear from Jamie Urquhart (co-founder of ARM) and Impulse alumni.
Thursday 22nd February 2018
Thinking of starting a business? Commercialising your research? Scaling an already established startup? Then this is the event for you!
We have been delighted to welcome Dr Shai Vyakarnam (Cranfield University), author of Camels, Tigers & Unicorns: Rethinking Science and Technology-Enabled Innovation, co-authored with Uday Phadke (Cambridge Judge Business School). In this talk, Shai will discuss the challenges of scaling small businesses and what entrepreneurs, scientists and technologists engaged in innovation in academic institutions and corporate environments need to do in order to turn ideas into commercially valuable propositions.
Wednesday 21st February 2018
EPOC Consulting Club
The EPOC Consulting Club has been run on the 21st Feb along with CAR consultancy, made up of a diverse group of specialists in a variety of fields from sustainability to natural disasters and engineering. They also offered internship opportunities for postdocs on their ongoing consulting projects!
More info can be found here
Monday 5 February 2018
J M Keynes Fellowship Fund
The Managers of the J M Keynes Fellowship Fund proudly present an evening of special lectures, featuring two of the Fund's distinguished Fellows speaking about their innovative research in the field of financial economics.
EPOC Society Committee meeting
Sep 06, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 07:30 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Committee Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Networking with GV (formerly Google Ventures)
Jul 18, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 09:30 PM — Judge Business School, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1AG,We are hosting Tom Hulme at the Judge Business School for a very exciting talk. Tom is a General Partner of GV (formerly Google Ventures), based in London.
Sustaining Innovation at Astex Pharmaceuticals
Jun 28, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Biomedical Campus, Clifford Allbutt Building (Clinical School entrance), Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0SP ,EPOC will be hosting Dominic Tisi, the coordinator of the Sustaining Innovation programme, will share insights into the background and evolution of Astex Pharmaceuticals from start-up biotech to pioneers of fragment-based drug discovery.
Enterprise Fair
May 23, 2017 12:00 AMYou are invited to join postdocs from across Europe to learn about entrepreneurship and corporate venturing.
Launch of Cambridge Postdoc Enterprise Competition 2017
May 11, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Are you a Cambridge postdoc working on an innovative research or having a great business idea? Are you looking to start a company or join an entrepreneurial team with a postdoc?
Meeting IndieBio: The World's Largest Seed Biotech Accelerator
Apr 07, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,This time, we'll be hosting Ryan Bethencourt from IndieBio. Ryan is a Cambridge alumnus, entrepreneur, and program director and venture partner at Indie Bio, an SOSV-funded accelerator.
Collaborative Drug Discovery and Entrepreneurship: AstraZeneca in the Cambridge Ecosystem
Mar 15, 2017 from 06:00 PM to 09:30 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Biomedical Campus, Clifford Allbutt Building (Clinical School entrance), Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0SP ,For our, next event, we'll be hosting Duncan Young from AstraZeneca to discuss the commercialisation of drug discovery research, from a range of perspectives.
Networking Event with Cambridge Social Ventures
Feb 02, 2017 12:00 AMEver considered a career as a social entrepreneur? Interested in joining ventures making a profound impact on the world?
EPOC 2016 Annual General Meeting
Jul 20, 2016 from 05:45 PM to 07:30 PM — Judge Business School, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1AG,Would you like a say in how EPOC is run? Perhaps you'd even like to get involved? Well, EPOC needs YOU!
IPS Simulating Tech Commercialisation
Jul 05, 2016 from 05:30 PM to 07:30 PM — The Hauser Forum, 3 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0GT,Ever wanted to learn more about Intellectual Property (IP) commercialisation, but didn't want to attend yet another seminar?
Consultancy Skills Workshop with Cambridge Healthcare Research
Jun 30, 2016 from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Eastwood Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Considering a career in consultancy but not sure if you fit the bill?
EPOC Focus Group
Jun 20, 2016 from 05:30 PM to 07:30 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Eastwood Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,The Entrepreneurial Postdocs of Cambridge Society (EPOC) is collaborating with Cambridge Enterprise and OPdA to gauge the entrepreneurial support needs of Cambridge Postdocs.
Alan Watt: from the Bench to Serial Entrepreneur - a Chemist's Tale
Jun 16, 2016 from 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Eastwood Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,The story of the career of Alan Watt. A successful chemist who became a serial entrepreneur. A not-to-miss event from EPOC
Start-up Skills Workshop for Postdocs: Pitching and Business Plan Writing to Make Your New Company Stand Out, with Adelina Chalmers
May 25, 2016 from 05:30 PM to 07:30 PM — Lecture Theatres 1&2, Institute for Manufacturing, 17 Charles Babbage Road, West Cambridge,Are you a postdoc looking to start a company? Perhaps you’ve got an idea, but you need help getting it down on paper or presenting to investors.
Cambridge: Silicon Fen or Something Completely Different? by David Gill, St John's Innovation
Apr 18, 2016 from 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Eastwood Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,This event featured a presentation from one of the most experienced entrepreneurs in Cambridge: David Gill, Managing Director of St John's Innovation Centre.
Cambridge Startup Opportunities - Social Ventures
Feb 24, 2016 from 05:00 PM to 07:00 PMDuring this popular event EPOC partnered with Social Incubator East and Cambridge Connect to showcase a range of social enterprise opportunities for postdocs.
Evaluating the Potential of an Academic Discovery
Dec 11, 2015 from 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,During this postdoc-specific event Amy highlighted the different options available to those looking to commercialise their research or ideas, discussing the key steps (and pitfalls) in the spin-out and start-up processes through her own direct experience.
From Research to Engineering to Mergers & Acquisitions and Back Again
Nov 23, 2015 from 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Simon Bittleston gave an excursus of his longstanding career at Schlumberger, leaving academia with a PhD in Fluid Mechanics in 1993 and becoming Vice President of Research in 2012. His talk was very inspiring and gave attendees a great overview of the options open to them in the industrial sector.
Commercialising your Ideas as a Cambridge Postdocs: What You Need to Know
Nov 19, 2015 from 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Very interesting talk by Bradley Hardiman, Life Science investment manager within the seed funds team at Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University.
Lab Rat to Fat Cat: My Switch from Academic to Entrepreneur
Oct 15, 2015 from 06:00 PM to 08:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Marc Warner gave an excellent talk about his will to become an entrepreneur whilst on track to become a theoretical physicist at University.
Raising Venture Capital - Jason Pinto, Amadeus Capital Partners
Aug 10, 2015 from 12:30 PM to 01:30 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,Following our first two events discussing the challenges faced by the aspiring postdoctoral entrepreneur, Jason discussed the key criteria that VCs use when investing their money.
Starting a Company: Thinking of the Right Questions and Knowing Where to Get the Answers
Jun 16, 2015 from 12:30 PM to 01:30 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,The event consisted of three 25-minute talks followed by a Q&A session and light refreshments
First Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Apr 25, 2015 from 12:30 PM to 01:30 PMOn the 21st of April EPOC held its first Annual General Meeting.
Considering the Options for Postdocs: Publishing & Getting Grants vs. Starting Companies
Jan 21, 2015 from 06:00 PM to 09:00 PM — Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane, Eastwood Room, 16 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1SB,EPOC's first event saw some 80 delegates listening to four of Cambridge's most successful entrepreneurs tackling the issue of taking the leap from academia.