REDFund Support
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REDFund Support
Innovation support for higher education institutions across the UK
UEL is delighted to have secured a Research England Development Fund Grant to provide support to Higher Education Institutes across the UK.
The programme aims to help support institutes, their academics and their students to develop high-impact ideas. We are also partnered with MassChallengeUK and have ringfenced positions on their world leading accelerator programme. Get in touch with us now to discuss how we can provide free support and help.
Your success is our success
As we are grant funded, and MassChallenge is a not-for-profit, our goals are to see you and your institution develop successful start-ups and spin outs.
World-leading acceleration
The MassChallenge programme has accelerated over 5,000 start-ups, leading to $16bn of follow-on funding. Securing a position on the programme gives your teams a great chance to push on with their business development and into commercialisation and scaling.
Already have teams that are interested in the programme? They can register interest for support.
Access to commercial partners
Through our partnership with MassChallenge UK, we are delighted to have access to major international companies, including Mars, Whitworth Brothers, Tate & Lyle and BAE Systems.
Through these partners your teams will be able to pilot their innovative solutions with major partners to develop letters of interest, memoranda of understanding and evidence crucial market traction.
Non-dilutive cash prizes
Cash prizes are available for teams that secure a position on the MassChallenge Programme. The prizes are non-dilutive and give the winning teams a boost to start their businesses. We want to give the teams the best opportunity to succeed, and believe firmly that the best start doesn’t tie up ventures with early equity loss.
A fantastic network
UEL, QMUL and MCUK have a fantastic network of experts and experienced founders to help your teams develop. This support is freely available to successful applicants and helps new founders to develop their businesses with real-life guidance.
The MCUK programme also has a cohort of 75 start-ups, meaning that your teams will be a part of a big community of like-minded individuals. Sharing the joys and the stresses of the entrepreneurial journey with people in the same situation helps to improve founder wellbeing and keeps the team motivated and driven.
Demystifying the process of spinning out
Brilliant ideas happen all the time in academia, but the process of identifying and creating commercialised IP can be confusing. If that’s a problem you or anyone at your HEI has, we’re happy to help the process. We’re delighted to have the experience of some of the UK’s most experienced HEI innovation programme operators in the team to help you with practical tips to get the ball rolling and commercialisation started.
Connecting cutting-edge ideas with the right team
Academic start-ups need fantastic ideas and the right team to succeed. We are building a networking sessions to get driven and capable founders in contact with academics with great ideas but limited time to develop them. This pipeline of talent helps to build the whole innovation ecosystem and deliver world-changing ventures.
Source free support now
There’s still time for teams to enter MCUK’s 2026 programme.
Improve your REF, KEF and TEF scores
Your Research and Teaching Excellence Framework and the Knowledge Exchange Framework can be improved by generating successful start ups and spin outs. The impact of IP generated at HEIs can be well validated by its successful commercialisation and can drive your scores up. Get in contact with us now to learn about how we’ve helped HEIs.