Conception X Programme-Application Deadline

What is Conception X?

Conception X is the UK’s leading PhD deeptech venture programme. Our fully-funded programme runs for 9 months alongside STEM PhD students' studies, offering them access to dedicated training sessions, a national network of deeptech experts and investors, networking opportunities and personalised coaching.

To date, we’ve supported more than 350 teams from 40+ universities across the UK, and have helped them to raise over £57 million in venture funding and grants. Read more about us on our website and browse through our success stories on our Medium.

Who can join Cohort 7?

We’re looking for 100 talented students from across the country to join us from March 2024.

Our programme is specifically designed for currently enrolled STEM PhD students who are interested in learning about enterprise, commercialising their research and/or accelerating their deeptech startup. Students can be at any stage of their PhD and aren’t required to have an existing venture to apply.

Applications for Conception X Cohort 7 (March ‘24 start) open on 23 November 2023.

Conception X is a fully-funded, 9-month programme that helps STEM PhD students like you to translate your research. Through a structured training programme and coaching, you’ll learn how to launch and accelerate a deeptech startup based on your research, connect with industry experts, become eligible for innovation grants, awards and venture capital funding, and access networking opportunities.

The programme is designed to fit around your commitments as a PhD student and has a two-track approach to support those ready to launch a startup and those looking to explore research commercialisation.

Conception X founders are Venture Scientists, at the intersection of scientific research and tech entrepreneurship. The programme offers a proven innovation model, having built 350+ founding teams with its portfolio startups going on to raise £57 million in capital and grants. Conception X’s first exit – quantum drug discovery company Rahko – was also the world’s first quantum machine learning-focused startup to reach the exit stage.

The best performing companies in Cohort 7 focusing on AI, quantum computing, robotics, biotech and other breakthrough technologies will have the chance to be considered for £100,000 in funding through the programme’s partnership with XTX Ventures.

Next Step – Join a Discovery Session

Register for an upcoming Discovery Session to meet Conception X alumni and find out if the programme is for you. If you still have questions, please reach out to hello@conceptionx.org.