Warwick Ventures are piloting a new mentoring scheme to match experienced business professionals with early career researchers to help coach the researchers and encourage them in viewing their ideas through a commercial lens.

In particular one of the goals of the pilot scheme is to support research teams going through the ICURe program which provides early career researchers with the opportunity to explore their commercially promising ideas and determine if there is a market for them. The ICURe program was developed by Innovate UK with the aim of bringing technical expertise developed in Universities out into society through the forming of start-up companies.

Last month the first induction sesison was held with prospective mentors to share more information about the ICURe programme, build the mentors as a team and talk through how the mentors will work with the researchers. Some of our mentors have already started working with researchers with more planned to start mentoring next month.

Charmaine Mulligan from Warwick Ventures said,

The value of business mentors in working with non-commercially experienced people starting out on their journey in setting up a company is well documented. What I have found enormously encouraging in setting up the mentoring scheme is the enthusiasm of the business community to support research teams through mentoring and be part of helping the early career researchers develop and thrive.”

Fiona Holdsworth, one of the Business Mentors from the scheme said,

The sessions were a wonderful introduction to ICURe and the mentoring. It was an excellent event and sparked my enthusiasm for joining the group.”

Another induction event is planned in February and already there are several business professionals signed up to take part.

Are you a business professional with an interest in mentoring? If you would like to find out more about our scheme then please contact Charmaine at c.mulligan.2@warwick.ac.uk

Images
Top left: Our mentors and Warwick staff who took part in the two day induction event
Bottom right: Group members concentrating intently on one of the tasks