12 Dec 2024
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NR 4ward: Maximising the Impact of Research Through Driving Innovation
The UEA has gained funding from Research England to set up a pilot programme to support staff and postgraduate researchers in UEA and across Norwich Research Park in maximising the impact of innovation and research by achieving business success.
The NR 4ward programme runs until 30th April 2025 and is about building on their track record of supporting researchers to translate their research and generating impact through setting up businesses to develop and commercialise the research outputs (commonly known as "spinouts") across Norwich Research Park. As part of the programme, the UEA is providing a range of free training sessions, expert guidance and mentoring opportunities to enable staff and postgraduate researchers to develop skills and knowledge and network with successful entrepreneurs and peers. The project ends in April 2025 - so do not miss out.
Who is the training for?
The NR 4ward programme is to support staff (including academics, clinicians, technicians and support staff) and postgraduate researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA), Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP (AIP), the Earlham Institute (EI), the John Innes Centre (JIC), Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL) and the Quadram Institute (QI).
Whether you're actively developing an idea that could have business potential, or it's something that could be of interest in the future, there's something for you. The training can also help you if you want to learn transferable skills that can help you in your career.
This is a great opportunity to learn about turning academic research into business success. Of course, you don’t need to have an idea for spinout development – you can learn a range or highly transferable skills that can help you in your career, such as creative problem solving, marketing, communications skills and team building.
The training will help you if you’ve got an idea for a business – or if you think that this is something you may consider in the future. Setting up a spinout company is a great way of having a real impact beyond academia. You can speak to leading experts and learn all the steps you need to go through to set up and run the business, such as identifying customers and gaining investment.
Setting up an academic spinout is a great way of having a real impact beyond academia. Founders also receive financial equity in the company, and ongoing specialist support from within Norwich Research Park.
Go to to register for specific sessions. The programme only runs until 30 April 2025, so make sure you that you don’t miss out on all the free training opportunities. As a broad overview, the UEA is providing:
“Spinout Spark” lunch and learn training sessions
- Monthly sessions – with a free lunch provided
- Motivation and top tips for budding academic and postgraduate research entrepreneurs
- The programme has been co-created by Soraya Jones (UEA’s Entrepreneur in Residence) and , a successful academic and entrepreneur, as part of the original Science Faculty’s Lunch and Learn series.
- Register for sessions and find out more under “”
Plant, Microbial and Food Tech drop-in and seminar sessions
- From January 2025, are delivering a series of drop-in and seminar sessions to support people with ideas for plant, microbial and/or food related innovations.
- Register for the drop-in sessions under “”.
- You don’t have to register for the drop-in sessions (which are listed under “Events”, but to guarantee a place at a particular time, we recommend contacting PBL in advance at
Health Tech webinars and drop-in sessions
- are delivering a series of webinars and drop-in sessions to support people with ideas for innovation in healthcare or a related field.
- Register for each session under “”. Shortly after each webinar, there’s the opportunity for you to attend a drop-in session to discuss your idea and get 1-1 support and advice.
Health Tech Innovation Sprint – 19 February 2025 (all day)
- If you’ve got an idea that has the potential to impact healthcare (or a related field), then apply (by 17 January) to take part in this event. You’ll have a chance to pitch your idea and receive:
- Creative group solving and brainstorming – with teams formed after participants explain their ideas, so you can turn a good idea into a strong business concept
- Expert support and advice from product development specialists, intellectual property attorneys, regulatory experts, health economists and commercialisation experts
- The chance to win a prize of of up to three days consultancy support (capped at £2,000) in to further develop your idea after the event (funded by )
- Register by 17 January by filling in the – email if you have any queries or require support with your application. You can also attend the drop-in session on 16 January to register in person (see “” for more information).
Spinout Discovery – from February 2025
- An eight-week programme for those who would like to find out how to take their research and ideas and turn them into a business.
- The programme, designed and led by active investors, experts and specialists, will arm potential entrepreneurs with a solid foundation, tools and contacts to start and run a successful business.
- A series of masterclasses will cover business strategy, financial planning, funding and investment, intellectual property protection, legal advice, building a team, as well as hearing from successful inspirational founders.
- There are limited spaces on this course, so make sure you register your interest ASAP. Email to receive a notification when expressions of interest go live.
The NR4ward programme is led by UEA and delivered with partners on Norwich Research Park (listed under “”. Additional support for the training programme is being provided by (PBL), and . Danino Consulting is providing project management support for the NR 4ward programme.
Training and events - registration details
- (PBL) seminar from 11:00-12:00 at JIC Conference Centre Wilkins Boardroom (G36).
- This seminar will provide insights into the commercialisation of plant science technologies.
- Applicable to researchers who would like to learn about translating plant science research into commercial products.
- Jan Chojecki is Managing Director of PBL. PBL is an independent intellectual property management and technology development company that specialiDes in protecting and commercializing intellectual Property (IP) and technology emerging from public sector research institutions.
- Register a place through .
- webinar from 1pm to 3pm
- Introduction to the basic concepts of intellectual property (IP), why it is important and an overview of different types of IP rights, their key features, and their likely uses.
- Real-world evaluation and how to gain evidence of benefits a technology provides.
- Register a place through .
- Med 1.18 at UEA – 10am to 4pm
- 1:1 mentoring from Karen Law and Anne Blackwood from – covering all aspects of the health innovation product development journey.
- These sessions are timed to coincide with the delivery of the health innovation webinars – so innovators will have an opportunity to discuss their health innovation concept in relaxed setting
- No prior booking is necessary and innovators at all stage of their journey are welcome.
- Advice available will include topics such as:
- how to get intellectual property protection for your idea;
- how to identify potential commercial partners to take your idea forward;
- finding grant funding to develop your innovation;
- how to generate evidence to demonstrate the value of your innovation;
- the role of human factors in healthcare; and
- how to market and sell your innovation to a customer.
Event details and booking information
How to search for and find that rare species - your first customer – by Fiona Nielsen and guest speaker, chaired by Dr Soraya Jones
- Wednesday 22 January – 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- Venue - MED 0.30 building in UEA
- Arrive at 12.30pm for lunch – the talk starts at 1pm (with a Q&A in the last 30 mins)
- The event is free, but you need to register in advance (before Friday 17 January) through the . If you have any queries, please contact: .
What the event will cover
It is arguably easier to sell something that people know and like. But what if your business idea is based on novel cutting-edge science and innovative applications, your product will be familiar to none. How do you then find the customers who will happily pay for your product?
We will look at different routes and approaches to Customer Discovery based on the lived experiences of a handful of entrepreneurs.
What can you learn from their experience? Join this session to figure out how you can apply a customer discovery strategy to give rocket fuel to your business idea.
About Fiona Nielsen
Fiona Nielsen is a serial entrepreneur with experience across life sciences, genomics and big data. During her career she founded both a charity (DNAdigest) and a commercial startup (Repositive). She has since built business models from the ground up as CEO for both software services and biotech product companies while contributing as advisor and mentor for many start-ups and entrepreneurs in the Cambridge and London ecosystem.
Read more about Fiona Nielsen on
About the “spinout spark” training sessions
The Spinout Spark sessions are designed to help motivate budding academic entrepreneurs and postgraduate research (PGR) students and is supported by funding through Research England. The spinout spark training programme has been co-created by Dr Soraya Jones and Fiona Nielsen, as part of the original Science Faculty’s Lunch and Learn series.
If you take part in a Spinout Spark session, you will have the opportunity to sign up for additional Spinout Spark office hours to get direct feedback on your startup idea.
- drop-in session from 1pm to 5pm at PBL Technology, Hill House, zone 2 or Norwich Research Park - accessed via the John Innes Centre (JIC) car park.
- 1:1 mentoring from Georgina Pope from PBL Technology – covering all aspects of Microbial Tech innovation product development journey.
- The sessions are applicable to scientist-entrepreneurs who wish to explore the commercialisation of microbial based research.
- PBL provides specialist advice to assist researchers to develop technologies through proof-of-concept and prototype stage, transforming ideas into patented, scientifically validated, licensable technologies available to industry or realised through spin-out creation.
- If you are driving, please contact PBL technology before you visit so they can arrange parking on site. While no prior booking is necessary, we also recommend contacting PBL Technology to guarantee a meeting at a particular time - .
- drop-in session at from 9.00am to 1.00pm at PBL Technology, Hill House, zone 2 or Norwich Research Park - accessed via the John Innes Centre (JIC) car park.
- 1:1 mentoring from Jan Chojecki from PBL Technology – covering all aspects of the Plant Tech innovation product development journey.
- The sessions are applicable to scientist-entrepreneurs who wish to explore the commercialisation of plant science.
- PBL provides specialist advice to assist researchers to develop technologies through proof-of-concept and prototype stage, transforming ideas into patented, scientifically validated, licensable technologies available to industry or realised through spin-out creation.
- If you are driving, please contact PBL technology before you visit so they can arrange parking on site. While no prior booking is necessary, we also recommend contacting PBL Technology to guarantee a meeting at a particular time - .
- webinar from 1pm to 3pm
- This course will introduce you to the basic concepts of Health Economics required for healthcare innovators. You will learn how to use them to demonstrate the value of your innovation to decision makers
- Register a place through
- MED 1.18 at UEA – 10am to 4pm
- 1:1 mentoring from Karen Law and Anne Blackwood from – covering all aspects of the health innovation product development journey.
- These sessions are timed to coincide with the delivery of the health innovation webinars – so innovators will have an opportunity to discuss their health innovation concept in relaxed setting
- No prior booking is necessary and innovators at all stage of their journey are welcome.
- Advice available will include topics such as:
- how to get intellectual property protection for your idea;
- how to identify potential commercial partners to take your idea forward;
- finding grant funding to develop your innovation;
- how to generate evidence to demonstrate the value of your innovation;
- the role of human factors in healthcare; and
- how to market and sell your innovation to a customer.
- Eight weekly half-day masterclasses led by active investors, experts, specialists
- and successful business founders
- Topics include business strategy, financial planning, funding and investment,
- IP protection, legals and building a team
- There are limited spaces on this course, so make sure you register your interest ASAP. Please complete this . If you have any queries, please contact: .
Event details and booking information
Growing and nurturing a Stellar Startup Team by Fiona Nielsen, chaired by Prof Sheng Qi
- Wednesday 12 February – 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- Venue: AHB C.CHAMBER building in UEA
- Arrive at 12.30pm for lunch – the talk starts at 1pm (with a Q&A in the last 30 mins)
- The event is free, but you need to register in advance (before Friday 7 February) through the . If you have any queries, please contact: .
What the event will cover
Are your great startup team members born or made? The answer to the question will depend on how you approach recruiting and leadership. What does it take to make a great team for a startup? Do you have what it takes? Can you find what it takes?
In this session we will explore the team building learning journey that awaits any budding entrepreneur. A critical part of the startup journey is to be able to deliver on your business plan. We will examine what it takes to envision the team you need and explore the challenges of finding the right candidates to fit that mould. And once you have the team on board, the hard work really starts. The best laid plans go often astray, and you need to learn how to course-correct, both for yourself, the company and your team.
About Fiona Nielsen
Fiona Nielsen is a serial entrepreneur with experience across life sciences, genomics and big data. During her career she founded both a charity (DNAdigest) and a commercial startup (Repositive). She has since built business models from the ground up as CEO for both software services and biotech product companies while contributing as advisor and mentor for many start-ups and entrepreneurs in the Cambridge and London ecosystem.
Read more about Fiona Nielsen on
About the “spinout spark” events
The Spinout Spark sessions are designed to help motivate budding academic entrepreneurs and postgraduate research (PGR) students and is supported by funding through Research England. The spinout spark training programme has been co-created by Dr Soraya Jones and Fiona Nielsen, as part of the original Science Faculty’s Lunch and Learn series.
If you take part in a Spinout Spark session, you will have the opportunity to sign up for additional Spinout Spark office hours to get direct feedback on your startup idea.
If you’ve got an idea that has the potential to impact healthcare (or a related field), then apply (by 17 January) to take part in this event. You’ll have a chance to pitch your idea and receive:
- Creative group solving and brainstorming – with teams formed after participants explain their ideas, so you can turn a good idea into a strong business concept
- Expert support and advice from product development specialists, intellectual property attorneys, regulatory experts, health economists and commercialisation experts
- The chance to win a prize of of up to three days consultancy support (capped at £2,000) in to further develop your idea after the event (funded by )
Register by 17 January 2025 by filling in the . If you have got any questions or need support with your application, please email . Alternatively, you can come along to our drop-in session on 16 January – any time between 10am and 4pm in MED 1.18 at UEA – to speak to Health Tech Enterprise and register in person for the Health Tech Innovation Sprint.
- webinar from 1pm to 3pm
- The application of Human Factors, or Usability Engineering processes, into the development of medical devices leads to safer and more intuitive products and facilitates the regulatory approvals process. This course will provide a “how to” guide, covering planning and implementation of usability studies.
- Register a place through the
- webinar from 1pm to 3pm
- This webinar will help you address key market access challenges in healthcare. It will help you understand the NHS as a customer, the evidence required to sell to healthcare systems and a brief guide to NHS procurement.
- Register a place through
Event details and booking information
Growing and nurturing a Stellar Startup Team by Fiona Nielsen, Chaired by Soraya Jones
- Wednesday 12 March – 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- Venue: C.HALL 01.07 building in UEA
- Arrive at 12.30pm for lunch – the talk starts at 1pm (with a Q&A in the last 30 mins)
- The event is free, but you need to register in advance(before Friday 7 March) through our . If you have any queries, please contact: .
What the event will cover
Nearly all plans fail upon first encounter with reality. Startup business models in particular are developed upon a foundation of assumptions about your product, your market, your customers, any external forces and your ability to deliver. You will discover that many, if not all of these assumptions are wrong. The sooner you discover which assumptions are true and which need revision, the sooner you have the opportunity to iterate your plans to arrive at business model success. As an extension of your Customer Discovery activities, you want to dig into and test the core tenets of your business as soon as possible. In this session, we will look at examples on how different startups approached their business model iterations and how you can avoid common pitfalls related to developing a business model for your startup.
About the “spinout spark” events
The Spinout Spark sessions are designed to help motivate budding academic entrepreneurs and postgraduate research (PGR) students and is supported by funding through Research England. The spinout spark training programme has been co-created by Dr Soraya Jones and Fiona Nielsen, as part of the original Science Faculty’s Lunch and Learn series.
If you take part in a Spinout Spark session, you will have the opportunity to sign up for additional Spinout Spark office hours to get direct feedback on your startup idea.
- QUEENS 0.10 at UEA, 10am to 4pm
- 1:1 mentoring from Karen Law and Anne Blackwood from – covering all aspects of the health innovation product development journey.
- These sessions are timed to coincide with the delivery of the health innovation webinars – so innovators will have an opportunity to discuss their health innovation concept in relaxed setting
- No prior booking is necessary and innovators at all stage of their journey are welcome.
- Advice available will include topics such as:
- how to get intellectual property protection for your idea;
- how to identify potential commercial partners to take your idea forward;
- finding grant funding to develop your innovation;
- how to generate evidence to demonstrate the value of your innovation;
- the role of human factors in healthcare; and
- how to market and sell your innovation to a customer.
- drop-in session at from 9.00am to 1.00pm at PBL Technology, Hill House, zone 2 or Norwich Research Park - accessed via the John Innes Centre (JIC) car park.
- 1:1 mentoring from Georgina Pope from PBL Technology – covering all aspects of Food Tech innovation product development journey.
- The sessions are applicable to scientist-entrepreneurs who wish to explore the commercialisation of research applicable to the food market sector.
- PBL provides specialist advice to assist researchers to develop technologies through proof-of-concept and prototype stage, transforming ideas into patented, scientifically validated, licensable technologies available to industry or realised through spin-out creation.
- If you are driving, please contact PBL technology before you visit so they can arrange parking on site. While no prior booking is necessary, we also recommend contacting PBL Technology to guarantee a meeting at a particular time - .
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