LIF Global empowers innovators who are making a positive impact in their communities with novel technologies.
Explore the LIF Global programme below:
LIF Global business skills and personal development journey
The LIF Global programme provides innovators with opportunities to:
- Identify business and personal development needs
- Develop key technical areas with support from a mentor
- Develop pitching skills with an opportunity to pitch in London
- Develop, scale and fund your start-up
- Build partnerships and networks in the UK, in country and internationally
- Make sustainability an integral part of your business plan
LIF Global 2025 Timeline
| Timeline | Activity |
| December 2024 | Remote onboarding week |
| December 2024 to January 2025 | Individual diagnostic and induction, and self-guided deliverables |
| January to March 2025 | In-country training |
| February to June 2025 | Remote mentoring |
| February to June 2025 | Remote training |
| June to July 2025 | UK residential |
Online onboarding
Participants:
- Assess and build their entrepreneurial skills
- Develop your relationships with your fellow LIF participants, mentors and trainers
In-country training events
You will join a 4-day training and mentoring event in your country, organised together with our in-country partner organisation
Aims:
- To contextualise learning to your country’s ecosystem
- To expand your networks of local experts and entrepreneurs
- To build engagement with alumni in your country
- To start developing your pitch deck
Individual diagnostic and online training
- 11 applied toolkit modules, across two levels ("Foundation Pillars" and "Advanced), covering topics such as business models, value proposition, finance, IP management, competitor analysis, business model innovation and pivoting, and marketing
- 5 masterclass training sessions covering topics such as delivering social impact inside and outside of your business, leadership and building a diverse team, and accessing global resources and internationalisation
- 3 remote pitching training sessions
UK residential
Participants:
- Travel to the UK for an in-person residential
- Participate in training and network-building events
- Pitch to an audience of investors and ecosystem leaders
Post-programme support
Participants:
- Benefit from a series of mentoring and networking options delivered by the Academy’s in-country partners
- Participate in the LIF online community
Meet our latest awardees
Eligibility criteria
Applications for LIF Global 2025 are now closed.
Only innovators from the following countries are eligible to apply for LIF Global 2025: Brazil, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand*, and Vietnam.
Thai candidates follow a separate selection process with the Programme Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMUC). If you have not been invited by PMUC to apply to Stage 1 and 2, please do not proceed with your application.
1. The innovation must be at technology readiness level 4 or above, and evidence of a prototype should be provided in the application.
Learn more about technology readiness levels
2. The applicant’s innovation can be any new product, technology or service, based on research in engineering defined in its broadest sense to encompass a wide range of fields, including, but not limited to:
- Agricultural technology
- Biotechnology
- Chemical engineering
- Civil engineering
- Computer science
- Design engineering
- Electrical and electronic engineering
- Materials science
- Mechanical engineering
- Medical engineering
3. Candidates must be the original innovator and own shares in the company created.
4. innovation should have the potential to benefit the applicant’s country, or other developing countries, in terms of improving social welfare and driving economic development, and they should contribute one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
5. The primary application of the innovation must NOT be in the defence, military, or fossil fuel-based energy sectors.
6. LIF alumni cannot apply to LIF Global 2025. They can, however, apply to Advance.
7. Candidates cannot apply with an innovation/business that has been supported by LIF before (LIF 1 to 7, LIF Global 2022, LIF Global 2023 or LIF Global 2024). LIF Global supports businesses only once. In addition, co-founders can't both apply to LIF Global 2025 with the same business or technology.
8. Applicants must be able to commit to LIF Global for a minimum of 4 hours during onboarding (week of 9 December), and at least 20 days for training and mentoring between January and July 2025, including 4 days (travel excluded) of in-person training in their country and 14 days for the UK Residential in July 2025. This implies being able to secure permission from all relevant employers to attend the programme if selected. The Academy will provide documentation on LIF counting as training or continuous personal development if required once you have joined the cohort.
9. Applicants must be able to commit to travel internationally. All costs associated with the LIF Global programme will be paid for by the Royal Academy of Engineering, with the exception of visas and travel insurance. Participants will be asked to purchase a travel insurance covering COVID-19 testing and quarantine costs. The Academy will consider covering the costs of any caring needs related to travel on a case-by-case basis.
10. Applicants will not need to cover any costs associated with the training programme in London, nor need to have any funds to support a trip to the UK.
11. Candidates will need to demonstrate fluency in English to participate. This will be a key assessment metric. Please note that the residential programme will be conducted entirely in English. Make sure to write your application and upload materials fully in English to avoid being penalized: most UK reviewers are native English speakers. Please note that the residential programme will be conducted entirely in English.
12. Applicants must be committed to LIF Global and Academy goals.
13. Applicants must have a strong interest in commercialisation. Though previous experience of commercialisation or involvement with technology transfer is not required, this criterion is essential to successfully completing the programme, and will be a key assessment metric.