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DDE Programmes

DDE Programmes

We are looking for entrepreneurs and future innovators who want to make a real-world impact

Our Offering

The DDE suite of activities are designed to drive entrepreneurship among staff and students at the University by supporting them to develop their business ideas, build their skills and secure funding.

We are also looking for opportunities to collaborate with start-ups, corporates, investors, mentors and funders.

Discover which opportunity is the right one to help you connect your ideas to the world!

Want to find out more?

Our DDE video is a great way to learn more about the programmes and activities we offer.

DDE Programmes & Activities

See all of our offerings below or choose a specific category

All programmes

Scaleup | DDE Bayes Pipeline

The University of Edinburgh AI Accelerator

Delivered by the University of Edinburgh’s world-leading innovation hub, the Bayes Centre, the AI Accelerator gives data driven scaleups the opportunity to harness the power of AI and bring about transformative change. From AgriTech to FinTech, AI technology can bring efficiencies, create new propositions and disrupt markets. It can help save lives and the planet.

Startup | DDE Bayes Pipeline

Venture Builder Incubator

The DDE Venture Builder Incubator is perfect for data-driven PhD students from the University of Edinburgh looking to generate a wider impact, develop entrepreneurial skills, build a team and turn their research into a business. Whether you have a business idea or not - this is the right place for you!

Graduate Enterprise Grant

The Graduate Enterprise Grant is a discretionary sum of up to £5,000 which may be awarded to individuals who graduated from Edinburgh University within the last 2 years.

Startup | Scaleup

DDE Innovation Seed Fund

The DDE Innovation Seed Fund will make targeted investments (up to £15k) - in return for equity - into companies with a data or digital focus to fill a gap for small lead investments at such an early but critical stage.

Digitech Work Placements

Digitech Work Placements will give University of Edinburgh PhD students the chance to gain experience and insight into what it’s like working in an entrepreneurial organisation.

Scaleup | DDE Bayes Pipeline

EIE

EIE features an intensive Investor Readiness Programme for founders and business leaders, providing training which is designed to enable and enhance our cohort’s business, as they seek to understand and explore the options for current and future investment. It culminates at the EIE Showcase Conference featuring pitching, world-class speakers and the International Market Square.

Fast Track Executive Directors

This is a unique opportunity for academics to develop or grow a company at speed and to respond to increasing innovation demand post-Covid in a way that benefits your research, the University of Edinburgh and wider society.

Open Innovation Challenge

The Open Innovation Challenge is for those at the start of their entrepreneurial journey. It gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to develop ideas, explore commercialisation opportunities for research, expand their business know-how and take their ideas to the next level, so they can make a real-world impact.

p2i Online Course

Postdocs to Innovators (p2i) is designed to provide business training, skills development, and experience to ignite your entrepreneurial spark and transform early career researchers into innovators.

Pitchbook

PitchBook - an online financial database platform covering private capital markets, including venture capital, private equity and M&A activity.

Ready to make an impact?

Are you a business, investor or working in the industry and would like to connect?

Or perhaps you are a student but you would like to get involved?

Get in touch with us to learn more.