ICURe Discover

One-line summary

Up to £2.5k to part-time-explore market potential of university research; prerequisite for Explore (£35k).

Why it fits RAIDT

Discover is purpose-built for PhD researchers wanting to commercialise their work. Low effort, rolling cohorts, near-zero risk. Cohort 2 closes 29 May 2026. Acceptance unlocks Explore (£35k for full-time customer discovery), which is a near-essential step toward any spin-out or licensing route.

Key parameters

Field	Value
Amount	Up to £2,500
Funding rate	100% of programme costs
Match funding	None required
Eligible applicants	UK university researchers (PhD, postdoc, ECR)
Project length	A few weeks, part-time
Closing date	29 May 2026 (cohort 2); cohort 3 closes 4 Sep 2026

How to apply

Visit https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/opportunities/icure-discover/
Create an Innovation Funding Service account
Complete a short application — far shorter than Explore
Submit before deadline

Application content needed

Brief technology summary
Market hypothesis
Time commitment plan
Light supervisor sign-off
No letters of support required

Realistic competitiveness

Discover is the lighter-touch on-ramp. Acceptance rate is high relative to Explore — this is a screening step, not a competition.

Action plan if pursuing

Confirm with Portsmouth Research Office that Discover is suitable (always yes)
Adapt 1-page summary from 02_ICURe_Explore_Application
Submit before 29 May 2026
Plan immediate Explore application after Discover acceptance

Notes

Discover is the gateway. Treat it as administrative, not strategic.
No need to overthink the application; clear concision wins.
Submission target: 27 May 2026 (Wed Week 3), 2 days before deadline.