The Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Fellowships programme has been ranked as one of the UK’s top ten most active accelerators, according to Sifted. The ranking, created in conjunction with Beauhurst, tracked the accelerators that sponsored the most startups between 2011 and 2018, with Enterprise Fellowships listed third.
A total of 90 entrepreneurs participated in the Academy’s Enterprise Fellowships between 2011 and 2018, with 74% still active as of January 2022. 78% of Hub companies successfully raised funds after attending the programme, whether through equity investment (60%) or grants (18%). Since 2018 the Academy has grown the programme even further and doubled the number of entrepreneurs it supports each year.
Mahmoda Ali, Head of the Enterprise Hub, said: “This ranking is testament to the success of the Enterprise Fellowships programme in helping some of the most creative and entrepreneurial engineers bring their innovations to life. We’re especially thrilled to rank third among a well-established peer group.”
Professor Richard Whittington FREng, Chair of the Enterprise Fellowships steering group, said: “The Enterprise Hub’s ranking within the UK’s top three accelerators reflects the programme’s enduring success in supporting creativity, innovation and financial growth through engineering, for the benefit of all. We are committed to fostering entrepreneurs’ potential in the long term, and have developed a virtuous cycle of innovation that delivers on this ambition through lifelong engagement with an unrivalled community of mentors and alumni.”
Alex Murdock, an Enterprise Fellow and co-founder of Thermulon, said: "The impact of the Enterprise Fellowships programme has been tremendous. Firstly, it gave me a year of financial stability after taking the risk of moving to London to co-found Thermulon, and secondly, the backing of a reputable institution provided a huge vote of confidence in our business. Meeting other engineering entrepreneurs through the Enterprise Hub has also been hugely helpful in navigating the personal journey."
Enterprise Fellowships is a 12-month accelerator programme that offers equity-free funding, expert mentoring, training and one-to-one coaching along with PR and marketing support.
For further information on Enterprise Fellowships see here.
Notes for Editors
1. The Enterprise Hub was formally launched in April 2013. Since then, we have supported over 220 researchers, recent graduates and SME leaders to start up and scale up businesses that can give practical application to their inventions. We’ve awarded over £8 million in grant funding, and our Hub Members have gone on to raise over £380 million in additional funding.
2. The Royal Academy of Engineering is harnessing the power of engineering to build a sustainable society and an inclusive economy that works for everyone.
In collaboration with our Fellows and partners, we’re growing talent and developing skills for the future, driving innovation and building global partnerships, and influencing policy and engaging the public.
For more information please contact:
Chris Urquhart at the Royal Academy of Engineering
T +44 207 766 0725;