As a postdoc, you are an innovator in training and you already share behaviours with entrepreneurs.
Developing your entrepreneurial mindset and capabilities enables you to spot opportunities and have the capacity to act on these with confidence.
Whether that’s in relation to gaining independence in an academic career, a commercial opportunity, policy intervention, or other ways your research can have impact.
Find out about the resources available to help you develop your entrepreneurial thinking and build your confidence to explore different avenues of impact:
There are multifaceted benefits of acquiring entrepreneurial and business skills and knowledge for researchers, regardless of career trajectory – that's why entrepreneurial/business skills training is a key component of professional development for researchers.
Well articulated in this Nature communication blog:
"...business skills are not in conflict with your identity as a researcher or scientist; rather, they are complementary and empowering. These skills can help you secure funding, communicate your findings effectively, and even take your innovations to the market, benefitting society at large. As a researcher or scientist, investing in these skills will not only enhance your career but also enable you to make a more profound and lasting impact on the world through your research. Embrace the fusion of science and business, and watch your influence expand."
The Postdoc Academy is currently delivering 2 workshops:
1. Introduction to entrepreneurial skills for all researchers
Funders of academic research and employers of researchers are increasingly valuing individuals with entrepreneurial spirit and a broader set of skills that can be used to innovate and create impact from research.
Researchers with these skills are at an advantage when applying for permanent academic positions, securing research funding, or pursuing commercialisation opportunities.
This interactive session will introduce you to:
- what an entrepreneurial mindset is and how all researchers can adopt and develop this to pursue their interests
- the frameworks and tools that are used in the startup world to create compelling business opportunities
- how you can adapt these to support innovative research, create impact, and secure grant or fellowship funding
- how to create your personal "elevator pitch" to introduce yourself and create new opportunities at networking events or to future employers.
Upcoming sessions
- 1 Oct 2024 10:00-12:30, Postdoc Centre @ Eddington
- 20 Jan 2025 12:30-15:00, Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane
- 30 April 2025 10:00-12:30, Postdoc Centre @ Biomedical Campus
2. Planning fundable research using Research Canvas
How can you make your research proposition stand out in a competitive funding landscape?
In the business and start up world, the Business Model Canvas tool is used to help companies work out how they will create, deliver and capture value. The research canvas is an adaptation of this and helps researchers plan and present their case for applying for research funding.
In this workshop, you will learn to use the Research Canvas. You will also have the opportunity to submit your research canvas after the workshop for personalised feedback.
This workshop will:
- demonstrate the utility of an entrepreneurial tool in a research context
- enable you to implement a tool for planning and presenting your research
- give you opportunities to share your ideas and receive feedback from peers and facilitators.
Upcoming sessions
- 14 Nov 2024 14:00-16:00, Postdoc Centre @ Eddington
- 20 Feb 2025 10:00-12:00, Postdoc Centre @ Mill Lane
- 3 June 2025 10:00-12:00, Postdoc Centre @ Biomedical Campus
Please note: the events will be published on UTBS soon.
The Postdoc Academy is a leading partner within Postdocs to Innovators (p2i) - an international partnership between institutes of higher education and global companies.
p2i's aim is to enhance postdocs' entrepreneurial mindset and a key set of skills, which they can use to pursue careers that will be personally and professionally meaningful both within and outside of academia.
The p2i programme enables postdocs to engage in a range of activities, including:
- postdoc societies
- entrepreneurship events
- business plan competitions
- mentoring
- residential training programmes
- online education courses.
Participants are connected with other researchers, industrial contacts, investors, entrepreneurs, and academics with experience in starts-ups.
p2i Online: Empowering Researchers to Innovate
Postdocs to Innovators (p2i) offers this online course which is free to postdocs from the University of Cambridge and partner institutes who want to learn more about how to seize opportunities and see them through.
The course is ideal for postdocs from any discipline who are:
- open to learning to think entrepreneurially
- curious about entrepreneurship
- ready to develop entrepreneurial skills and confidence
- keen to develop their networks.
Find out more about the course and how to apply.
Venture creation events and programmes provide aspiring entrepreneurs with an exciting opportunity to develop, test and pitch business ideas.
They usually involve working in teams across a set time period (anything from an academic term, to an intense few days), and often involve mentoring and advice from experts and investors.
p2i sponsors places for postdocs to attend for free on a number of these, including:
The Postdocs of Cambridge Society have formed an entrepreneurial sub-committee to provide some entrepreneurship focused events and communications to all postdocs in Cambridge.
If you are interested in contributing to the sub-committee, or helping with planning entrepreneurship events for postdocs, please email contact@pdoc.cam.ac.uk.
I/E Cambridge is a web portal into the Cambridge innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. It provides information on training programmes and events and is there to support, inspire and develop entrepreneurial thinking and skills.