The ECEF scheme is an initative designed to stimulate the commercialisation of University research and intellectual property. We are delighted to announce that we have secured support for a small number of further ECEFs. for AY2024/25.
Applications are now open again until 14th January 2025 with otherwise all the same eligibility, timings, requirements, terms and conditions etc. Those who have applied by the 11th December deadline will hear the outcome of their applications next week.
The commercialisation of research is a key aspect of the University’s strategy. Commercialisation of research can lead to research impact as well as strengthening the local innovation ecosystem, creating new jobs and attracting investment to Bristol. Commercialisation of University intellectual property also sometimes brings financial benefit to the University which is used to support future spinouts, such as through the University’s Evergreen Fund.
We recognise that early career researchers are often the ones to push forward the commercialisation of University research – some of our most famous and successful spin-out companies were co-founded by, and are often now led by, people who were earlier career researchers at the outset (Ziylo, Ferryx, Fluoretiq and Ultraleap being prominent examples).
The ECEF scheme aims to support early career researchers to gain the skills necessary to make progress in commercialising University intellectual property. It provides:
Training, in a model that includes both in-person cohort-based training and self-driven online learning, provided by SETsquared Bristol.
The dedicated support of a commercialisation manager with sector expertise relevant to your innovation
Funds which permit you to dedicate time to this exercise*
* the ECEF provides a sum of £2000 which is paid to the ECR at the outset of the fellowship. This is intended to be used to protect 1 calendar month to dedicate to the fellowship. This does not include the training component which it is expected the ECEF will manage as they would research training associated with their PhD. The sum is reached by calculating the approximate cost of 20 days of a standard UKRI stipend and adding an uplift as an additional incentive.
In 24/25, the ECEF is available to currently registered postgraduate research students (PGRs). We are exploring whether this could be extended to research associates for future years.
If you're interested in hearing from previous Early Career Enterprise Fellows about their experiences of the scheme, visit the Enterprise and Innovation Blog!
Attendance and participation in the training sessions as shown in the table below.
| Part 1: Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Communication skills |
11th March 2025
9:00 - 17:00
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Part 2: Online community, training and startup stories
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19th, 26th March
2nd, 30th April
7th, 14th May
14:00 - 16:00
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| Part 3: Pitch refinement and Technology Showcase |
21st May 11th June |
Participation in PechaKucha training: 29th April (online), 23rd May 10:00 - 15:00 (in person)
Attendance and participation in the Festival of Enterprise on 4th June 2025.
Working with your commercialisation manager and, in conversation with your supervisor, using their guidance to help progress the project.
Committing 20 days’ dedicated work to progressing the commercialisation of the innovation.
Completing the above between 1st January 2025 and 31st July 2025..
You need to apply to suspend your studentship stipend for a period of one month to allow you to focus fully on the Fellowship for this period.You will also need to request to extend your submission deadline by one month meaning that it does not detrimentally affect the time available to you for completing your PhD.The PGR administrator in your School/Faculty/DTEwill assist with making these arrangements for you.
The ECEF scheme is intended to support the commercialisation of University IP.
If your research involves working on IP developed by a member of staff such as your supervisor, for example gathering data on the subject of the IP’s properties or applications, then the University will continue to own the IP. If the ownership position is unclear, to be eligible for an ECEF you are required to assign any IP rights you have to the University.
If you have developed your own IP, to be eligible for an ECEF you will be required assign your IP to the University, and if you do this you will then benefit from the University’s revenue sharing model. Please see the University’s IP Policy for Students for further information: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/media-library/sites/secretary/documents/student-rules-and-regs/Intellectual-Property-Policy-for-Students.pdf
If you have your own IP but do not wish to assign it to the University, the ECEF scheme is not suitable, but there are lots of other ways to get support for your innovation. This includes:
If you are not sure of the status of the IP you wish to explore please speak to a commercialisation manager before submitting your application. More information here: For researchers | Business and partnerships | University of Bristol
Discuss your idea with your supervisor, and if you are unsure about the intellectual property ownership and the implications of this, discuss this with a commercialisation manager.
Then, if you wish to go ahead, you and your supervisor must complete the form in full and submit it by the deadline advertised. The form is available here: ECEF Application Form 2025 (Office document, 31kB)
All applications must be completed in full – including the supervisor section – and submitted by the deadline. All applications received will be reviewed by the ECEF funding panel and scored according to the assessment criteria below.
Generally speaking, the panel will award ECEFs to the highest scoring applications. However, if there are several applications with the same or very similar score, the panel will also consider the balance of different disciplines and may decide to fund/not fund applications in order to provide a balance of projects across different disciplines/schools.
We recognise the value that diversity of people, perspective and experience bring to our ability to create innovative enterprise activities and want to ensure that our fellowship selection processes are equitable and inclusive. We encourage applications from the whole PGR community, particularly global majority students.
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Question in application form
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Assessment criteria
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What is the innovation you plan to develop during your fellowship? Please summarise the background research that led to it, including an explanation of the Intellectual Property status of your innovation. If you, or your supervisor or other colleague, have already discussed this innovation with a member of the commercialisation or impact teams in DREI please specify. (200 words)
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Innovation is a commercialisation prospect, not more research or another activity such as knowledge exchange or policy innovation without a convincing commercial dimension.
Score: Y/N/Unclear
Innovation arises from University research and IP, not a personal project/interest. Score: Y/N/Unclear
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What product or service will your innovation lead to? Who will buy or pay for the product or service? What gives you confidence they will buy it? Who are your competitors? How is your product or service differentiated? (200 words)
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Does the product or service sound viable? Do you consider their product/service case compelling, credible, robust and objective? (0/1/2)
Have they given thought and some (desk based) research into the market for their product/service? Is the market credible? Do they provide evidence of their convictions? (0/1/2) Have they considered competitor products/services and the differentiation of their own? Is their argument credible? (0/1/2) Score 0-6 |
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What will you do during the fellowship? What will be different at the end of the fellowship? How will this move your innovation closer to commercialisation? What will need to happen after the fellowship? (200 words)
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Sensible and achievable plan for the duration of the fellowship including consideration of what and how they can do in the time available (0/1/2)
Credible plan or ideas for next steps after the fellowship (0/1/2). Plans will make a material difference to the commercialisation prospect of the innovation (which could include it being a successful project, but also includes the option for “fail fast, fail cheap” (0/1/2) Score 0-6 |
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Of the supervisor: Please explain how the aims of this fellowship proposal align with strategic priorities – your own, your research group, your department/school, the University. Are you supportive of this proposal?Are you comfortable that the applicant can balance this fellowship with their PhD without detriment to their progression? Have you agreed with them how this will work in practice? (200 words)
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Fellowship project is of strategic importance to the supervisor/group/school/University. (0/1/2/3/4)
Supervisor is fully supportive both in principle and in practice. (0/1/2) Score 0-6 |
