By Michele Barbour
First piloted in 23/24, the Early Career Enterprise Fellowship (ECEF) provides training, time buyout, resource, and specialist support to a postgraduate research student who wishes to explore the commercial applications of their research.
I am very proud of our Early Career Enterprise Fellowship scheme at the University of Bristol. Of course with any new initiative, it’s important to reflect carefully on the outcomes and roll these reflections into future iterations. As such, we are now engaged in seeking feedback from our ECEFs and their doctoral supervisors before we launch for 24/25.
Ahead of the launch of our 24/25 ECEF scheme next week, I spoke to two of this year’s cohort to understand the challenges and opportunities the scheme gave them. Read on to learn more about their experiences, and keep an eye out for the launch of our 24/25 ECEF scheme on the University of Bristol website!
James Uzzell
James was one of our inaugural E
arly Career Enterprise Fellows. James, who is a PhD student in Advanced Composites in the EPSRC CoSEM CDT – Composites Science, Engineering and Manufacturing, used his fellowship as a means to advance the Technology Readiness Level of a dynamic induction coil for energy efficient composite manufacturing. When asked about his experiences, James shared:
“The ECEF was a fantastic opportunity that allowed me to shift my focus away from my PhD research and towards exploring the potential for industry application and commercialisation of technology that I had been developing. The time spent thinking about my work outside of a purely academic standpoint helped me to gain a much better perspective on how my research can fit into the larger world. Beyond this, the time spent hearing from and speaking to founders of technical startups within SETsquared was very useful in gaining an insight into what is required to get research from the lab into a commercial enterprise. Since the ECEF we have been able to apply for further research funding, explore IP protection and make wider industrial connections.”
Jennifer Dumle Daniel
Jennifer is a PhD candidate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and works closely with Dr Lucy Kelly, Associate Professor in Education, on The Diary Toolkit: an innovative initiative to support teachers in the workplace. Looking to scale and commercialise her approach and expand the reach and impact of the Toolkit, Jennifer said of her ECEF experience:
“The ECEF fellowship was a transformative opportunity for me at The Diary Toolkit. It provided crucial insights into commercialising our product and exposed me to successful entrepreneurs, from whom I gained valuable knowledge about scaling our business. On a personal level, the ECEF has connected me with researchers across the wider university network, fostering greater collaboration and potential innovation. The ECEF has been instrumental in shaping both The Diary Toolkit’s business trajectory and my own professional growth. The skills, knowledge, and connections gained through this fellowship have positioned us to make a meaningful impact in the industry while opening doors for exciting research collaborations.”