Being an Academic Host
WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
Academic staff with ideally both the physical space to cope with an EPIS entrepreneur for up to one year and up to half a day per month to support that candidate in their project.
When matched with an EPIS Entrepreneur they should be able to offer in-depth knowledge of the research area relevant to the business they are helping to create and the entrepreneur they are hosting.
WHAT'S INVOLVED?
We aim to introduce the candidates via their project plan and then through a brief meeting with the academic host. After matching with an EPIS Entrepreneur a final project plan is agreed between the academic host and the entrepreneur, a letter of support is then completed by the academic host. The entrepreneur then attends an EPIS Selection Committee for final approval.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?
The pre-incubator programme EPIS, is based on a similar programme to that which helped take the University of Twente from a ?30M research centre to a ?100M research centre. It provided a resource of knowledge based companies, (over 200), that have built a regional economy with a habit of trading with their local university. EPIS funds the placement with a £5500 academic host fee for the one year period and the entrepreneur is offered an interest free loan of up to £10,000 with which to cover other costs.
HOW DO I TAKE PART?
Please send a note of your interest in the programme and any enquiry to the EPIS Programme Co-ordinator, Linda Brooks at Linda.Brooks@ed.ac.uk.