14.00-14.30  Converge  is the leading entrepreneurial development programme for Scotland’s Higher Education sector. From spin-outs to start-ups, they help the most innovative and creative thinkers from academia to realise their entrepreneurial ambitions by providing intensive business training – tailored specifically to academic entrepreneurs – a dynamic and supportive network and one-to-one guidance. There’s even a chance to win game-changing cash prizes to springboard your venture – this year for instance, the prize pot is £230,000.

Converge is open to staff, students and recent graduates (within 24 months from graduation) from all Scottish Universities, working across any industry sector and with product and/or service-based ideas at any stage of development. Programme participation will help you to validate your business model, refine your business proposition, teach you the essentials of running a successful business, raise your profile and connect you with like-minded individuals. 

This workshop is for anyone who is considering applying to Converge and/or would like to find out more about the programme, as well as other support available to help you with your business idea.

Speaker: Dr Lissa Herron, Converge

14.30-15.00  The RSE Enterprise Fellowship is a leading, UK-wide business development and training programme for the higher education sector; enabling science and tech researchers to accelerate commercialisation and develop into world-class entrepreneurs.

Each Enterprise Fellowship offers an equity-free support package of funding and training support worth up to £90,000, including:

• A year's salary to provide time to focus solely on refining the business proposal
• Cutting edge training in business and entrepreneurship
• Up to £10,000 business support funding

• Access to networks of mentors, business experts and professional advisors
• Lifetime membership of the RSE Entrepreneurs Club

Speaker:  Hannah Chater, Royal Society of Edinburgh

15.00-15.30 The SUCCESS programme is a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to provide social sciences researchers with the training, support and chance to compete for funding to transform their innovative and marketable research ideas into a business or social enterprise. The programme is open to applications from teams led by social sciences researchers at the University of Glasgow and the ASPECT partners institutions.

 • A half-day’s Business Canvas support session to build your idea (February 2020) 

• A 3-day training bootcamp in entrepreneurial skills led by industry experts. (24th - 26th March 2020, University of Sheffield) 

• Ongoing support across the summer to develop your business idea and pitching skills 

• The chance to pitch in front of investors to win up to £50,000 in prize money to put toward the development of the business.

Speaker: Mel Anderson, Commercialisation Manager

15.30-16.30  Q&A and discussion with the speakers or members of UofG staff with a role to support you in entrepreneurship or research commercialisation.