Researchers
Apply now to join the Royce Catalyst 1.0 cohort

Royce Catalyst is a new 12-week extracurricular entrepreneurship education programme expanding the UK’s capacity for advanced materials commercialisation. At its heart, the programme connects early-stage materials projects with researcher teams who test their commercial potential.

By joining, you’ll receive intensive training, apply what you learn to a real-world project, and gain skills that will serve you whether you pursue a career in academia, industry, or as a founder.

We welcome applicants with backgrounds across all research areas, with scholarships available for UK university researchers specialising in materials science.

Applications open: October – 17 November 2025

• Programme dates: 27 January – 21 April 2026
• In-person sessions in Manchester:
  • Launch Night: Tuesday 27 January
  • Lecture intensive: Wednesday 28 – Saturday 31 January (4 full days)
  • Pitch Night: Tuesday 21 April
• Format: Blended. In-person dates in Manchester plus online team-based project work and supervisions.

Royce Catalyst is designed as a launchpad: learn how to test ideas, build your professional identity, and gain an entrepreneurial toolkit to shape the future of advanced materials.

The programme begins with a four-day lecture intensive in Manchester, where you’ll be immersed in entrepreneurial thinking for materials innovation. Sessions cover entrepreneurial mindsets, customer discovery, business models, IP, and pitching.

You’ll learn directly from founders, investors, and experts in strategy, innovation, and responsible entrepreneurship, then immediately apply these tools to your assigned project.

You will:

• Learn frameworks used by entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.
• Apply them directly to an advanced materials project from an inventor.
• Work in a small, diverse team of researchers and early-career professionals.
• Receive guidance from an experienced supervisor.
• Deliver three outputs: a commercial feasibility report, a value proposition video, and a final pitch.

This is your chance to learn by doing, gaining entrepreneurial insight while contributing to the UK’s materials innovation community.

Royce Catalyst offers around 100 hours of high-impact training and project work across 12 weeks. This includes 40 hours of in-person lectures and workshops, 10 hours of dedicated support from supervisors, and your time to complete online research and project work.

Programme fees exclude travel and accommodation for Manchester dates.

Fees:

• UK university researchers: £1,200
  PhD students, postdocs, early-career academics, technical staff. Around 40 full-fee scholarships are available.
• International university researchers: £1,800
• Professionals: £3,500
  Industry researchers, start-up employees, corporate R&D staff, or others outside academia.

Deposit: A £50 payment secures your place and is deducted from the programme fee. This requirement is waived for applicants awarded a full scholarship.

Scholarships: Around 40 full-fee scholarships will be awarded in the first year for UK university researchers (PhD candidates, postdocs and research-facing staff) in materials science. Recipients cover only travel and accommodation for the Manchester dates.

Programme fees exclude travel and accommodation for Manchester dates.

For scholarship applications, we welcome UK researchers from across materials science, including (but not limited to): biomaterials, energy materials, digital and Materials 4.0 sustainable and circular materials, critical minerals, nanomaterials, electronics and photonics, surface and coatings, polymers, materials for extreme environments, foundational and industrial materials, and health and life sciences — as well as other areas of materials science and engineering.

• Stage 1: Apply online now
  Applications deadline: 17 November 2025. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Scholarships will be confirmed promptly after interview.
• Stage 2: Online interview
  Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a brief interview between 19-21 November to confirm fit and expectations.
• Stage 3: Offers and enrolment (end of November)
  Successful applicants will be offered a place, which is secured with a personal deposit. If you applied for a scholarship, you will also be notified of the outcome.