News - Babraham Research Campus

The Accelerate@Babraham team recently hosted a webinar designed to help early-stage life science founders decide whether the programme is right for them, and if so, how to submit a competitive application. Now in its eighth year, A@B has supported 40 fledgling life-science companies who have gone on to raise more than £120m collectively.

If you couldn’t attend, here’s your comprehensive guide to what the panel covered: why to apply, how to strengthen your application, and what to expect from the programme.

The first question the panel tackled was often the hardest: is this the right accelerator for you?

Accelerators vary widely in focus and intensity, and choosing one that aligns with your company’s stage and goals is essential. Speakers highlighted the risks of “accelerator hopping”, which is where you join multiple programmes without the capacity or reason to commit, which can signal lack of clarity rather than ambition. Instead, founders should look closely at a programme’s remit, expectations, and network.

This year, thanks to programme partners, A@B particularly welcomes applications in kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and rare disease, but all life science innovations are encouraged.

If your company would benefit from this ecosystem and you’re ready to accelerate your commercial and scientific journey, A@B may be the perfect fit.

The panel shared clear and practical advice on what makes an application compelling.

Applicants will complete an application form, as well as the Triple Chasm Navigator, a tool created by TripleChasm to assess a company’s maturity and is used throughout the programme to measure progress. Throughout the application process, the panel encouraged applicants to focus on the following:

Be honest and realistic about where your company is today. Strong applications demonstrate a solid understanding of current gaps.

The panel want to understand not only the scientific innovation, but how it will be translated into commercial impact.

You don’t need to have every detail finalised, but you do need a clear, compelling problem statement. You will refine this throughout the programme.

Are you able to fully commit to the programme? Consider your eligibility to work in the UK, availability over the next 12 months, etc.,

If shortlisted, the interview becomes your opportunity to show your potential. The panel discussed what they are looking for when conducting interviews.

The panel discussed how this is not a prescriptive process, and emphasised that having a great team is important, even if the idea isn’t quite polished yet!

Strong Science and a Strong Team
The people behind the science are really important, and it is crucial that the team will fully immerse themselves into the programme.

The panel need to be confident in your commitment to making the proposition a success. They want to see founders that are driven and ready to make the most of the opportunity.

The biggest thing the panel is looking for is willingness to learn, and resilience. Your pitch does not need to be perfect, just show great potential, you will have lots of support along the way!

Accelerate@Babraham is deliberately intensive and highly supportive, designed to turn great ideas into fundable, scalable commercial ventures.

Concentrated, intense and potentially life-changing! Expect bespoke weekly seminars, interactive workshops and 1-2-1 mentoring to help hone ideas, polish each venture’s commercial proposition and develop company structure to enable the delivery of a compelling investor pitch time after time.

Key to the programme is the Triple Chasm framework, structured homework, weekly feedback, tailored mentorship.

A@B offers 10 Months Free Lab/Office Space within our LiveLabs space. You’ll be fully supported by the expert communal labs on-site technical team to guide and assist with getting up and running, ventures enjoy dedicated lab time in fully serviced facilities with wraparound support from the dedicated LiveLabs team.

The Babraham Research Campus sits within 430 acres of parkland and is where discovery research and business come together with a shared scientific focus that accelerates innovation and strengthens links between academia and the commercial world. As a founder, you will gain access to

Applications are now open for Accelerate@Babraham’s next cohort. If you're an early-stage life science innovator looking for world-class support, a collaborative community, and the space to grow, this could be a defining step in your journey.

For more information, or to apply, please click here!

In case you missed it: Highlights from the Accelerate@Babraham Webinar