Applicant Guidance Notes – Leaders in Innovation Fellowships

(LIF) programme 2020/2021

The Royal Academy of Engineering and STDF are seeking applications from researchers,
with strong entrepreneurial potential, to take part in their Leaders in Innovation Fellowships
programme. This is a training programme in innovation and technology entrepreneurship
that will take place in Egypt with a residential period in the UK.

Introduction

The Leaders in Innovation Fellowships programme (LIF) brings together the emerging
leaders in the global innovation community. It acts as a catalyst for individuals to
commercialise engineering-based innovations that have the potential to contribute to the
social and economic development of their country. The programme key objectives are:

● to build the capacity of researchers for entrepreneurship and commercialisation of their

research;
● to create international networks of innovators and technology entrepreneurs.

The programme is aimed at researchers who are about to develop, or are in the process of
developing, a business proposition for their innovation. A select cohort of researchers from Egypt
will benefit from a focused period of training in Egypt and the UK, access to expert coaches, and
opportunities for international networking. In the short term they will develop, with the support of
the programme, a commercialisation plan for their innovation. In the long term they will benefit
from access to an international network of peer innovators, in taking their commercialisation plan
forward.

The programme builds on the expertise of The Academy in supporting technology entrepreneurs
within the UK through a variety of fellowships and prizes. Fellows supported through this programme
will benefit from connectivity to The Academy’s Enterprise Hub, a network of technology innovators,
researcher entrepreneurs, and senior industrialists driving and supporting world class innovation.

The programme is part of the broader UK Newton Fund which seeks to build international science
and innovation partnerships that promote the economic development and welfare of developing
countries.

The Programme

Ten successful applicants (‘Leaders in Innovation Fellows’) will be invited to participate in the
program, which will be delivered over three phases:

● Phase one - Remote onboarding (February 2021)

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 The first phase will be conducted remotely. Participants will receive an induction to the
tools that will be used throughout the programme to deliver the remote training, and they
will be asked to create a profile to facilitate connections between LIF fellows from all
participating countries.

Individual engagement with remote learning resources and preparatory tasks will
introduce topics such as business model development, finance, fundraising, intellectual
property protection, founders’ wellbeing. This phase is also where the participants will be
introduced to their mentors, who will be a key source of support throughout the whole
programme.

● Phase two - In-country training or virtual training (March - May 2021)

Participants will receive in-person training in Egypt, facilitated by the relevant delivery
partner with support from the Academy’s expert trainers. This will be highly interactive,
using a wide range of bespoke and experiential learning techniques including the use of
real-life case studies, peer-to-peer learning, and applying new knowledge to your specific
business challenges. This phase will build on the topics and training in the previous phase,
and give participants an opportunity to apply them to their specific business. They will
test and interrogate their business model and use these exercises to build towards a
pitch.

● Phase three - London residential training (June 2021)

The final phase of the LIF programme will be held in London for five days. The focus of
this phase will be to showcase the innovations supported by the LIF programme, further
develop soft skills, and it will be a culmination of the work undertaken over the previous
two phases. Participants will be encouraged to engage with the UK innovation ecosystem.

This residential week will also provide opportunities to connect with the global LIF7
community. There will be a strong focus on peer-to-peer learning and engagement,
community building, and fostering collaboration. There will also be a one-day overlap
event which LIF7 participants from all countries will attend, giving participants to connect
with the global LIF7 cohort.

All participants in the LIF programme will automatically join our global international network of
innovators and coaches clustered around the Academy’s Enterprise Hub.

Please note that the residential programme will be conducted entirely in English.

Mentorship and follow-on support

There will be 2-4 mentors allocated the cohort to allow participants to access a breadth of
expertise. The mentors will work with the group and also individually. The initial introduction
will take place in early February, and mentoring will continue up until November 2021, most of
the contact will be remote.

In-country (Egypt) and International Travel

Participants are expected to attend the full training, and completion of the programme is dependent
on satisfactory attendance and participation in all programme activities.

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Egypt-based training travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by STDF.

As well as the training and mentoring programme, airport transfers and other UK travel incurred by
the programme, all hotel accommodation, and breakfast and evening meals will be paid for by The
Academy.

Visa fees and International flights will be paid by STDF. However, please note that successful
applicants will be responsible for arranging, and paying for their travel insurance, as required, and
covering any other expenses incurred during the programme.

Note that if it is not possible to hold a training event in-country or in the UK due to the COVID 19
situation at the time, we will seek to deliver an alternative event online using a variety of learning
methods and tools.

Eligibility Criteria

Through their research, applicants must have developed (or co-developed), or be in the process of
developing (or co-developing) a new technological innovation. Applicants should have the ambition
to take a leading role in creating a new business to commercialise this innovation.

Specific eligibility criteria are as follows:

● Applicants must be employed full time at an Egyptian university or research

institute.
● Applicants must be citizens of Egypt.
● Applicants must be in the process of developing a business proposition of their innovation.
Projects at the basic research stage are not supported through the current program.
● The applicant’s innovation can be any new product, technology or service, based on research
in engineering defined in its broadest sense to encompass a wide range of fields, including –
but not limited to –
o agricultural technology
o biotechnology
o chemical engineering
o civil engineering
o computer science
o design engineering
o electrical and electronic engineering
o materials science
o mechanical engineering
o medical engineering.
● The innovation should have the potential to benefit Egypt, or other developing countries, in
terms of improving social welfare and driving economic growth, and they should contribute
one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
● The primary application of the innovation must NOT be in the defence or military sector.

Note that previous experience of commercialisation or involvement with technology transfer is not
required.

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Egypt specific Guidance

Egypt- Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) is the co-funding
partner in the Leaders in Innovation fellowship in 2020/2021 in Egypt.

To ensure that the learning is efficiently captured from the residential training in London by
the Royal Academy of Engineering and so it is put into practice, program participants will be
asked to demonstrate active efforts to actualise the project by submitting a work plan to show
commercialisation of participant’s innovation business plans upon the completion of phase
three.

Applicants will be required to submit a report upon the completion of phase 3 as well as semi-
annual progress reports for the following year to the STDF to demonstrate the progress in
development of the business plan to ensure successful implementation.

After the acceptance of final progress reports, STDF may offer seed funding to support grants
of promising business plans to help commercialise the project outputs. Selected work plans
showing promising commercialisation of participant's innovation business plan will be given the
opportunity to apply for extra funds with full justification. Applications for the implementation
phase of the innovation business plan will be evaluated and selection will be based on the
feasibility and market potential, excellence and novelty, technology readiness, applicability
challenge and expected benefits of the innovation.

Call Timeline

Call open 15th October 2020

Deadline of the online application on the RAEng website 11 November 2020

Deadline of uploading the submitted application on STDF website 13 November 2020

Joint selection of the participants by mid-December 2020

Contracting with STDF will be announced after final approvals from the STDF is
announced.

How to Apply/submit your information

Applications will be received through the Academy’s Grants Management System

(https://grants.raeng.org.uk). Please consult the Applicant guidance notes provided by the
Academy, and available in the call information on STDF website (www.stdf.org.eg).
A copy from the completed online application MUST be submitted to the STDF
website available here: (www.stdf.org.eg) including endorsement letter and CV as
supporting documentation (Annex 1 & Annex 2).

Submission Deadline
All applications must be submitted on the Academy’s online system by November 11
uploaded on STDF website no later than 13th of November, 2020 by 12 midnight.

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Contact
If you have any queries, please contact
Science, Technology, and Innovation Funding Authority (STDF):
Mrs. Marwa Alaa: marwa.alaa@stdf.eg
Newton Mosharafa Team (UK): Newton.Mosharafa@fco.gov.uk

1. Endorsement letter (Annex 1)

Endorsement letter of the Egyptian PI institution (Scanned copy of the signed and stamped
Endorsement Letter by the legal representative – Institution president- of the PI's institution stating the
project title, the name, position and affiliation of the PI in charge of the proposal, that the project idea
was not funded or submitted to another STDF program, another agency (national or international), or
otherwise declare, and that the institution approves the project)

2. Your CV (Annex 2)
Please insert your CV. The format and content of your CV is left to your discretion. Your CV should not
exceed three (3) pages.

1. Basic Information
Full Name in Arabic: Full name in English: (As you write it in Int.
publications, underline family name):

Date of Birth:
National ID
Last University Degree Faculty, University, Country Graduation Date

Title: Field of specialization:

Affiliation:
Current Position:
Contact Information:
Mobile Phone: Fax: E-mail:
2. Scientific Achievements
h index (SCOPUS Citations (SCOPUS only) Total no. of Int. publications in SCOPUS
only)

Last three recent relevant publications

Authors (underline your name), year, title, Journal, vol. and pages
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2
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If applicable, state other salient scientific achievements such as patents (granted only) and
scientific prizes

Previous or running projects with STDF

a. Running (ID no. & type of grant, role of applicant & % of participation)
b. Previous (ID no., type, role of applicant and deliverables to be attached)
List other submitted proposals to STDF (in evaluation process) (ID no. & type of grant)