LIF Global
What is the programme?
The primary objective of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Leaders in Innovation Fellowships (LIF) Global programme is to build the capacity of engineers and researchers for entrepreneurship and commercialisation of innovations which support the social welfare and economic development of emerging and developing countries.
Who can apply?
Through their research, applicants must have developed (or co-developed), or be in the process of developing (or co-developing) a new technological innovation at technological readiness level 4 or above. Applicants should have the ambition to take a leading role in creating a new business to commercialise this innovation, and be able to demonstrate fluency in English. Applicants must also be a citizen or resident of Colombia, Jordan, Türkiye, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, South Africa or India. If this does not apply to you and you are interested in seeing your country included in future iterations of the programme, please get in touch at info-lif@lif.raeng.org.uk.
What should I know before I sign-up for the programme?
When attending a LIF event, be ensured that:
- We will accommodate people who need accessibility adjustments
- We will provide a prayer room
- We will provide halal food, vegetarian food, and cater for any dietary requirement/allergies flagged with us
- We will provide ensuite rooms (no shared bathrooms) to any participants entitled to a hotel room
What are the benefits of the programme?
- Virtual and in-country training events to provide an opportunity to connect with local LIF programme peers
- A UK-based entrepreneurship training and networking programme, to provide an opportunity to connect with the global LIF community
- 1:1 expert mentoring
- Intensive remote training, tailored to each participant’s unique goals and challenges
- Lifelong membership of a thriving global LIF alumni community
Applications for LIF Global open in September each year.
Applications for LIF Global 2024 are open from 11 September to 16 October 2023 for all countries but India. Indian candidates can apply until 29 October 23:00 GMT.
What is the review process?
Applications are shortlisted by our in-country delivery partners, and up to 12 applications will be selected for review by the Academy.
What reporting requirements will be expected of me throughout the duration of the award?
We expect you to be responsive and communicative with your mentor and Academy staff throughout the duration of the programme. We want to hear about our alumni’s success and challenges so we can best support them on their commercialisation journey.
Advance
What is the programme?
Advance is a bespoke programme of relationship-building and business growth modules for entrepreneurs who are ready to scale and grow internationally.
The programme aims to help participants grow their businesses, expand their networks into the UK, and further develop their leadership skills within the LIF community.
Who can apply?
Applicants must be working on an innovation that meets any or both of the themes. We are encouraging members of the LIF alumni community (LIF 1-7, LIF Global 22-23) or the APEI alumni community (Cycles 1-9), as well as other entrepreneurs working on exceptional solutions that meet the criteria from the following countries: Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Türkiye, Vietnam.
What should I know before I sign-up for the programme?
When attending a LIF event, be ensured that:
- We will accommodate people who need accessibility adjustments
- We will provide a prayer room
- We will provide halal food, vegetarian food, and cater for any dietary requirement/allergies
- We will provide ensuite rooms (no shared bathrooms) to any participants entitled to a hotel room
What kind of innovations fall under the themes?
A: The main eligibility criteria and thematic eligibility criteria for the programme are set out in the above sections. In general, you should ask yourself:
- Does my innovation depend on or significantly leverage a medical technology such as (and not limited to) artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, machine learning, wearables, applications, telemedicine, 3D-printing, Virtual Reality (VR), a deep tech, or does it produce the underlying hardware that makes such technologies possible?
- Does my innovation address inequalities faced by individuals or communities who are not always reached because of geography, socioeconomic status, gender or other social or cultural reasons? And helps providing access to essential services (education, social mobility, financial security, entrepreneurship and business services, and global interconnectedness?
If you are still unsure, you are welcome to contact the LIF team at info-lif@lif.raeng.org.uk, or the APEI team at alice.radley@raeng.org.uk, to discuss your application. As with the main LIF programme, we do not accept innovations with a primary application in the defence, military, or fossil-fuel-based energy sectors.
What are the benefits of the programme?
- Assess where you and your business are
- Boost your confidence and soft-skills
- Enhance your leadership and entrepreneurial skills
- Strengthen your business strategy
- Improve your engineering processes
- Map UK networks, collaborations, and partnerships
- Learn to measure and communicate your impact and outcomes
- Connect with an exceptional and likeminded community of Alumni
What are the key dates?
Applications for Advance 4 will open on 18 September 2023
Drop-in Application session on 18 October 2023. Register here
Application's deadline is 31 October, 5:00 PM BST
How is the review process?
All applications to the Advance 4 programme are first checked for eligibility by Academy staff members. Eligible applications will go to a Selection Panel comprising of the Fellows of the Academy and other subject matter experts who will perform an in-depth review into the application, including reviewing the innovation, business, and reasons for wanting to participate in Advance. Sometimes, some candidates may be contacted for further information that is required by the Selection Panel before they can make their decision.
The Selection Panel will consider:
- Adherence to all entry and eligibility requirements
- The potential social, economic, or environmental benefit of the innovation to socially excluded groups
- The benefit that Advance could provide for the applicant, their business and/or their team
What reporting requirements will be expected of me throughout the duration of the award?
We expect you to be responsive and communicative with your mentor and Academy staff throughout the duration of the programme. We want to hear about our alumni’s success and challenges so we can best support them on their commercialisation journey.
What are the expected outcomes of the programme?
- Enhanced their soft-skills and confidence
- Liaised and engaged with network of contacts
- Designed bespoke pitch-decks fit to different audiences
- Developed a deeper understanding of their IP, products, and engineering processes
- Built a supportive community
- Strengthened their teams
- Developed an understanding of the market and future opportunities
- Created metrics and impact measurements