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    SPARK 1.0

    INTRODUCING

    Got an idea? SPARK is the newest pathway for students, researchers, and recent alumni to materialise their ideas into action in just four weeks.

    SPARK is an intensive residential incubator programme to supercharge ideas and create ventures with the potential to change the world. Created by King’s E-Lab in partnership with Founders at the University of Cambridge, SPARK is funded by both a generous philanthropic donation from a successful King’s College entrepreneur together with funding from the University of Cambridge.

    With the first cohort starting on the 26th August 2025, we’re looking for 20 co-founding teams and individuals with ideas, early-stage products, and social ventures from any technology-led sector who want to achieve an investable outcome with the combined commercial expertise and unparalleled mentor and investor networks of King’s E-Lab and Founders at the University of Cambridge.

    Ventures graduating from the incubator programme will have the support and backing to take their projects to the highest level of global venture building with the opportunity to pitch for £20k investment from Founders at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Enterprise.

    APPLY NOW

    THE PROGRAMME
    AT A GLANCE

    SPARK is an intensive residential incubator programme to materialise your ideas into action in just four weeks. Welcoming co-founding teams and individuals from all Colleges at the University of Cambridge (undergraduates completing their studies in summer 2025, postgraduate students, researchers, and recent alumni), you will emerge with a validated business model, pathway to product, a strong understanding of your team dynamics, and a segue way to seed-stage funding or scaling your impact.

    The King’s entrepreneurship community has a proven track record of supporting new ventures including Nemesis, PoliValve, Asan, and ViraHealth in health and wellbeing, Echion Technologies in battery design, RoboK in robotics, and WaterScope in water purification. Meanwhile Founders at the University of Cambridge has accelerated high-tech companies Nanomation, Xterna, and Molyon. These companies have cumulatively raised more than £50 million in funding.

    WEEK 1 Research

    You will get to work right away on market research and validating your idea while leveraging cutting-edge AI tools. We’ll match you with a mentor and you will emerge from week one with a validated business idea, understanding of product-market fit, competitor analysis, and a 2-minute elevator pitch.

    WEEK 2 Develop

    Prototype your idea and get started creating an MVP. Understand the tech-stack and tools you will need to succeed. And hear from experts about the pitfalls and best-practices of product development.

    WEEK 3 Validate

    What is the best business model for your idea? Learn how to get creative with your business model, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition pathways. Emerge with a strong understanding of brand, marketing, and how to keep your venture sustainable (socially, environmentally, and economically).

    WEEK 4 Pitch

    How do you get the financing you need to get going? Week four is about exploring the different kinds of financing out there and deciding what is the best option for your venture. Create a pitch deck and get ready to present your fledgling venture at Demo Day and also have the chance to win £20,000 investment (subject to eligibility criteria and available only for those with a current University of Cambridge affiliation and alumni who have graduated within two years).

    THE OFFERING

    • Full-time, four-week residential programme
    • No programme fee for current students and alumni up to 2 years graduated
    • A dedicated mentor in your field
    • Masterclasses with global commercialisation experts, entrepreneurs, and investors
    • Free working space during the programme
    • Curated access to more than 240+ experts including investors, entrepreneurs, industry executives and alumni in the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community
    • Curated access to an unparalleled network of global experts from the King’s E-Lab network
    • The chance to pitch for £20,000 investment (subject to eligibility)
    • The opportunity to engage investors at Demo Day
    • Social events organised throughout the duration of the programme
    • Two formal dinners at King’s College with expert community members from the Founders and King’s E-Lab networks

    ‘Entrepreneurship can be about producing social good’ - Gabriel Brown, King’s College alumnus and winner of the King’s College Entrepreneurship Prize 2024.

    APPLICATIONSOPEN
    APPLICATIONSCLOSE
    INTERVIEWS
    PROGRAMME KICK-OFF
    COMMUNITY DINNER
    DEMO DAY
    PROGRAMME FINALE

    FAQ

    Accomodation

    • Fully serviced single rooms with shared bathrooms are available at King’s College and will cost £3,000 for the duration of the programme.
    • Funding opportunities for the cost of the rooms may be available through your College, Department, or other sources.
    • Participants can have alternative accommodation but the residential aspects of the programme will take place within the College.
    • Occasional dinners and social events will be included in the programme fee, however most meals during the programme will be at participants’ own expense.


    Eligibility

    One co-founder must be affiliated with the University of Cambridge in one of the following ways:

    • Undergraduate students completing degrees in Summer 2025
    • Postgraduate students
    • Postdocs
    • Researchers
    • Alumni


    Your idea

    • Industry: any technology-led industry or sector, as long as you see potential for high-growth and high-impact. This includes social ventures and social business models.


    Do I need to pay to join the programme?

    • There will be no programme fees for current final-year undergraduates (graduating Summer 2025), postgraduates, researchers, or alumni from the past two years, thanks to both generous philanthropic support and funding from the University of Cambridge.
    • Those who completed their degree more than two years before the time of submitting the application will be charged a programme fee of £1,000.
    • Co-founders wanting to join who are not affiliated with the University of Cambridge will be charged a programme fee of £1,000.


    Do I need to have a co-founder to join the programme?

    No, you can apply as an individual. If you find a co-founder between being accepted on the programme and the programme kick-off, please reach out to us, and it may be possible for your co-founder to attend, too.



    My co-founder isn’t affiliated with the University of Cambridge. Can they still join the programme with me?

    Yes, only one co-founder per team must meet our eligibility criteria. Co-founders wanting to join who are not affiliated with the University of Cambridge will have to pay the programme fee of £1,000. 



    How do I get the ￡20,000 investment at the end of the programme?

    Cambridge Enterprise Ventures will fund up to two ventures coming out of the programme. We will assess the following factors in making investment decisions:

    • Must have a current University of Cambridge affiliation or have graduated within the last two years
    • A company must be formed (legally registered)
    • Strength of the founding team
    • Progress made during the programme
    • A clear plan to spend the money and what milestones that achieves for the company
    • A viable business model
    • A plan to raise follow-on funding


    Do I have the opportunity to pitch for further funding?

    • The programme culminates in a Demo Day where you will have the opportunity to pitch for funding from a variety of investors.
    • Any company formed during the programme can pitch Cambridge Enterprise Ventures for further follow-on funding separately from the accelerator as milestones are achieved.


    What are the attendance requirements?

    We require your full-time attendance during the duration of the whole residential programme.



    Can you sponsor a visa?

    Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas at this time. However, you may want to apply to the UK’s Global Talent Visa which enables exceptionally talented individuals to come to the UK to work for five years.



    Have more questions not covered here?



    Terms and conditions

    To see full programme terms and conditions, visit: www.founders.cam.ac.uk/privacy-policy