If you're from an academic institution and interested in collaborating with us on a Spark event, please contact us.
Connecting business and technology minds
Are you passionate about innovation, eager to meet potential technical co-founders, and ready to immerse yourself in the world of cutting-edge technology startups? Look no further – welcome to Spark, a collaboration between London Business School (LBS) and other academic institutions, designed to bring together the brightest minds in technology and business. This unique programme connects students from tech backgrounds with LBS students, fostering partnerships to build robust commercialization strategies for groundbreaking research ideas. Our collaborators include University College London (UCL), Conception X, Crick Science Entrepreneur Network (CSEN), and King’s College London.
Spark is open to current LBS students and alumni, and students from the collaborating academic institution.
In response to the HM Treasury's Independent Review of University Spin-outs (November 2023), which highlighted the need to translate the UK’s academic excellence into high-growth tech companies, Spark was established to address the challenges faced by tech founders in the spin-out process. The review identified a gap in the commercial knowledge required to turn innovative research into successful ventures. Founders of tech companies have expressed that the spin-out process can be unnecessarily difficult and would benefit from access to bright business minds to help refine their commercialization strategies.
Spark events bring together founders of tech startups with business students and external partners to bridge this gap in commercial knowledge. By fostering collaboration between tech entrepreneurs and business experts, we aim to support the UK’s STEM sector and help turn innovative ideas into thriving companies.
Students will pitch their start-up ideas and network during the event, forming new collaborative relationships with fellow students, with complementary backgrounds, to form early commercialization strategies. The aim is to guide each participant in finding the most suitable and effective commercial pathway for their research idea.
To find out more about Spark, please email us at the address below.
