Discovery Park

Discovery Spark

Applications are now closed.

Calling all early-stage companies in FemTech and those specialising in addressing Women’s Health. Applications are now open to join a specially themed cohort of Discovery Spark, the exciting programme designed to refine your business model, prepare you for success in investment pitches, and give you a unique opportunity to compete for free lab space at Discovery Park alongside a package of invaluable support from our prize partners.

In partnership with...

Barclays Eagle Labs is on a mission to support the UK’s entrepreneurial community. They provide a wealth of support to startup businesses, particularly those who are focused on technology and innovation and for those needing physical space, provide coworking and offices throughout the UK.
Barclays Eagle Labs is on a mission to support the UK’s entrepreneurial community. They provide a wealth of support to startup businesses, particularly those who are focused on technology and innovation and for those needing physical space, provide coworking and offices throughout the UK.
NHS Kent and Medway is the NHS organisation that plans and buys healthcare services to meet the needs of the 1.8million people living in the area. Their annual budget is around £3.5 billion to provide the best possible care for the whole county.
NHS Kent and Medway is the NHS organisation that plans and buys healthcare services to meet the needs of the 1.8million people living in the area. Their annual budget is around £3.5 billion to provide the best possible care for the whole county.
Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex is one of the 15 health innovation networks across England, established by NHS England in 2013 to improve health and generate economic growth by spreading innovation at pace and scale. They connect citizens, NHS and academic organisations, local authorities, the third sector and industry to facilitate change across whole health and social care economies.
Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex is one of the 15 health innovation networks across England, established by NHS England in 2013 to improve health and generate economic growth by spreading innovation at pace and scale. They connect citizens, NHS and academic organisations, local authorities, the third sector and industry to facilitate change across whole health and social care economies.

For Innovators

Throughout the duration of the programme, you will take part in a series of thematic workshops, connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, share experiences and learn from FemTech and Women’s Health industry experts and mentors. The programme culminates in using your newly acquired skills to deliver a presentation which impresses a panel of prize partners and specialist investors, for the chance to secure free lab space and a generous package of support.

 

Watch the video for more information.

The Spark FemTech & Women’s Health special programme

Three x 2-day immersive sessions will cover people, teams and brand, presentation and communication, and business metrics and markets, giving you the tools to help lay healthy foundations in your business, improve your personal development, and create a pitch presentation that has impact capable of securing funding.

The special edition cohort will run on the following dates:

  • Sessions 1 & 2 – Tues 21st & Wed 22nd May 2024
  • Sessions 3 & 4 – Tues 4th & Wed 5th June 2024
  • Sessions 5 & 6 – Tues 18th & Wed 19th June 2024
  • Prize partner & Investor Pitches – Thurs 4th July 2024.

All sessions will take place at Discovery Park, Kent and overnight accommodation costs between the back to back sessions will be covered.

The Prize: Worth over £50k

1 year rent free lab space at Discovery Park (or office space, should a company not require wet lab facilities)
Wrap around care and mentoring from Barclays Eagle Labs, including access to their wider network
Mentoring and guidance from Discovery Park’s Head of Innovation and Business Development team
Support services from specialists covering: IP, finance, talent, marketing and data management

Learn from experience

The programme is led by Dr Renos Savva, a successful scientist and entrepreneur with several years’ experience in running a postgraduate level pre-accelerator simulator following his experience co-founding, spinning out and growing a successful biotech, with sessions including expert guest facilitation to compliment the subject area.

Our prize partners

Abel + Imray blend legal experience with commercial awareness to advise and represent clients on all aspects of patent, trade mark, and design law in the UK, Europe and around the world.

IP & Legal

Abel + Imray blend legal experience with commercial awareness to advise and represent clients on all aspects of patent, trade mark, and design law in the UK, Europe and around the world.
Kreston Reeves is a leading accountancy and financial services firm located across London and the South East of England. They provide a full range of accountancy, business advisory and financial services that help UK and international clients achieve their personal and business goals, with peace of mind.

Accountancy

Kreston Reeves is a leading accountancy and financial services firm located across London and the South East of England. They provide a full range of accountancy, business advisory and financial services that help UK and international clients achieve their personal and business goals, with peace of mind.
The Good Stuff is a brand and marketing agency built for good people, doing good work, for good reasons. Specialising in strategy, brand, campaign and design, they offer a straight-up, collaborative, non-fluffy approach, helping to cement strong foundations in your business and generate impact in your communications.

Brand & Marketing

The Good Stuff is a brand and marketing agency built for good people, doing good work, for good reasons. Specialising in strategy, brand, campaign and design, they offer a straight-up, collaborative, non-fluffy approach, helping to cement strong foundations in your business and generate impact in your communications.
SRG is the leading recruiter of permanent and temporary talent for scientific, clinical and engineering businesses. They are the largest life-science recruitment company in the UK, number 5 in EMEA, and number 8 globally.

Talent & Recruitment

SRG is the leading recruiter of permanent and temporary talent for scientific, clinical and engineering businesses. They are the largest life-science recruitment company in the UK, number 5 in EMEA, and number 8 globally.
Prismea help protect your company and data with quick, affordable analytics tailored to your needs. Specialising in biodata (genomics, imaging, spectroscopy, epidemiology, metabolomics) and AI/ML, financial and business processes, their services help with the auditing, movement and processing of data whilst keeping it highly secure.

Data Services

Prismea help protect your company and data with quick, affordable analytics tailored to your needs. Specialising in biodata (genomics, imaging, spectroscopy, epidemiology, metabolomics) and AI/ML, financial and business processes, their services help with the auditing, movement and processing of data whilst keeping it highly secure.
Projectfusion is a leading UK/EU hosted platform providing Virtual Data Rooms, Extranets, Collaboration, Real Time Co-authoring and safe-drop secure file sharing services to leading law firms, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies, financial organisations and energy firms.

Data Rooms

Projectfusion is a leading UK/EU hosted platform providing Virtual Data Rooms, Extranets, Collaboration, Real Time Co-authoring and safe-drop secure file sharing services to leading law firms, pharmaceutical companies, government bodies, financial organisations and energy firms.

Application process

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

To enter you must be a start-up working in FemTech or addressing Women’s Health, have demonstrated proof of concept, have the freedom to operate and have raised less than £500k in investment. Please note, the programme is open to both male and female founders.

Step 1: Register your interest using the form above before midnight on 5th April 2024.

Step 2: You’ll be contacted within 2 weeks of your submission of interest with an update on your suitability for the programme, and/or, to arrange a Teams video call with Dr Renos Savva, giving you more information and a chance to ask questions.

Step 3: If you wish to progress your application, you’ll be asked to complete an application form and to submit your current pitch deck outlining your business proposition by 19th April 2024.

Sign Up

The Discovery Park team and Dr Renos Savva have been pivotal in providing maximal and significant benefits to our entrepreneurial journey.

Their extensive and tailored business support, encompassing connections with clinical teams and experts in Kent, various financing options, and guidance on resilience in the face of adversity, has been both helpful and instrumental. This comprehensive support has played a crucial role in our growth and development.

Andrew Guo , Founder & Director

The support we’ve received from the Discovery Park team has been truly uplifting and friendly. It provided us with valuable insights into how we’ve progressed since our last pitch.

Renos has been exceptionally understanding and supportive throughout the program, and we appreciate the team’s hard work in guiding us.

Heraldas Gaspariunas , Chief Operations Officer

It felt as though the sessions were designed for us personally as we have changed immeasurably throughout. We have pivoted and changed direction throughout as well. We have come together through the program as a company and as people. I just want to say thank you for believing in us. You have made us believe in ourselves as well!

Stephen Hilton , Founder & CEO

The entire Discover Park team has been extremely helpful and insightful. The way that Renos started off the first session as well as all of his subsequent presentations and facilitations for networking makes him stand head and shoulders above all other accelerators.

Zijing Cao , Chief Technology Officer

Terms and Conditions

  • Eligible applicants will be startup founders / entrepreneurs operating in FemTech or Women’s Health which can include; BioTech; AI-bio or data bio (with integral lab or engineering/ making space component); SynBio or EngBio; Diagnostics; Small Molecule / Biologics; MedTech and Advanced Therapies or similar.
  • Applicants must have proof of concept, own their IP or have other freedom to operate, e.g., valid licensing rights or contracts.
  • Applicants must not have previously had benefits from Discovery Park, such as free/discounted labs, or investment from Discovery Park Ventures.
  • Applicants’ qualifying enterprise must have raised less than £1 million in equity or related instruments (please inquire if in doubt on this point).
  • Applicants must attend all sessions in the programme: where the enterprise consists of more than one person, 2 of the team to attend every session. Overnight accommodation will be provided.
  • The winning enterprise must, within 12-months of award of the prize, base all its primary laboratory operations at Discovery Park, Kent.

Contact us