Venture Builder Incubator: Scotland’s University Tech Incubator

Venture Builder Incubator empowers aspiring entrepreneurs from Scotland’s Universities to start or grow their tech business. Bridging the gap between research and entrepreneurship, Venture Builder Incubator gives you the tools, skills, and support to transform your deep tech or data-driven idea into a thriving startup.

Apply for VBI Cohort 6.0

VBI participant engaged in conversation with a potential investor at our 2025 Joint Showcase Event

Are you ready to tackle real-world challenges through tech innovation?

This five-month programme is designed specifically for students and staff from Scottish universities who want to explore the business potential of their research. Through a mix of interactive online workshops and in-person events, you'll learn to navigate the startup world with confidence.

Participants of the Venture Builder Incubator will benefit from:

Key Skill Development - Build essential entrepreneurial skills to help you stand out in a competitive market.

Build Understanding - Better your understanding of key market dynamics and commercialisation strategies to navigate the start-up landscape with confidence.

Access to Expertise - Learn firsthand from seasoned entrepreneurs and industry leaders and access The University of Edinburgh’s wealth of expertise and academic excellence.

Personalised Mentorship – Expert guidance from entrepreneurs-in-residence, National Robotarium collaborators, Cancer Research Horizons and our experienced programme team.

Network Connections - Join a vibrant community of innovators, industry partners, and like-minded entrepreneurs, fostering meaningful ecosystem connections and unlocking new opportunities.

Who can apply?

Venture Builder Incubator is designed for ambitious postgraduate students, early career researchers, academics, and recent alumni - within two years of graduation - who are looking to transform their deep tech or data-driven research into a viable business.

Through our ongoing partnership with Cancer Research Horizons, we offer tailored support for founders working on oncology-related innovations.

We welcome applications from individuals or founding teams at any Scottish university who are passionate about creating innovative deep tech or data-driven solutions to address real-world challenges.

What can you expect?

Through a mix of interactive online workshops and in-person events, Venture Builder Incubator provides you with the skills, confidence and connections required to start or grow your tech business.

The programme has a time commitment of approximately 12 hours a month over 5 months and is designed to fit in with other academic commitments. The programme will start at the end of October and finish in March, with a break in December.

Online workshops will typically run via Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 16:00 - 1730 hours.

Our Track Record:

Since its inception in 2021, the programme has supported over 130 founders and companies, helping to raise a combined £50 million in grants and investments.