Cambridge, UK, 26th May 2026: Babraham Research Campus is delighted to announce the 2026 Accelerate@Babraham cohort.
Described as ‘game-changing’ by previous participants, Accelerate@Babraham, which is backed by industry giants, charities and supported by experts across the Cambridge cluster has attracted a record number of applications this year. The programme offers early-stage life science ventures an unrivalled package of support thoughtfully designed to enable them to discover, innovate, grow and thrive - whilst also benefiting from being part of the wider Campus’ ecosystem of over 60 companies, 2,000 employees and 300 academic researchers.
The programme starts with an intensive eight-week taught programme, consisting of bespoke weekly seminars, interactive workshops and 1-2-1 mentoring to help hone ideas, determine commercial propositions and develop each company’s structure to enable the delivery of compelling investor pitches time after time. Thereafter, the cohort transitions into the lab with access to the Campus’ LiveLabs communal lab spaces.
Additional benefits include one year’s membership to the BIA UK and One Nucleus; affiliated company status of the Milner Therapeutics Institute and membership of nextGen Org; plus, pitching opportunities at BioBabraham and Cambridge Wide Open Week.
Looking to emulate the success of those who have come before the companies chosen for this year’s programme are:
BASE Rx: A Wellcome Sanger Institute spin-out dedicated to mapping novel druggable sites on high value cancer targets to unlock more effective, personalised oncology treatments.
Elarna Bio: Developing long-acting RNA therapies to deliver stable, long-term metabolic control for both rare diseases and widespread conditions.
EVolution Therapeutics: A biotech spin-out using mRNA therapeutics to revolutionise the treatment of inflammatory diseases, starting with pioneering work in wound healing.
Ribogenyx (Rib-X): Rejuvenating the proteome to treat age-related diseases.
Semper-B Therapeutics: Developing a next-generation cell-engineering platform designed to turn a patient’s own cells into living antibody factories.
Switch Biologics: Developing enzyme therapies that activate only inside tumours, maximising potency while significantly reducing toxic side effects.
Accelerate@Babraham Programme Manager Jenny Hirst said: “The Accelerate@Babraham programme is designed to do exactly what its name suggests - accelerate the journey of early-stage founders. Through the dedication and expertise of everyone involved, we help companies become lab-ready, investor-ready and pitch-ready, equipping them with the foundations they need to grow and succeed.”
Speaking at the launch event, Dr James Gavin CEO and Co-founder of EVolution Therapeutics shared his excitement at the possibilities ahead: “I couldn't believe it when we got accepted. It’s one of the most comprehensive accelerators around and although it was our top target we never expected to secure a place.
“Having access to the Cambridge biosciences network as well as the peer network of startups here at Babraham Research Campus is hugely valuable. For therapeutics this is the place to be - the premier location for translating biological technologies with the world-leading institute and we’re incredibly excited to be part of the community here.”
Babraham Research Campus CEO Rich Ferrie who took up post earlier this month added: “Founders achieve more when they are part of a community that understands the challenges of building innovative science-led businesses. At Babraham Research Campus, Accelerate@Babraham empowers entrepreneurs by providing the mentoring, networking and practical support they need to refine their proposition, attract investment and accelerate their journey towards real-world impact.”
Accelerate@Babraham is supported by a committed network of strategic partners, including Astrazeneca, Chiesi, Eisai, Kidney Research UK and Novo Nordisk.
Previous cohorts have included LinkGevity, Cyclana Bio, Shift Bioscience and QKine. To date, Accelerate@Babraham has supported 40 companies, which have raised in excess of £120m.