Our role

As part of the Entrepreneurial Programmes Initiative, Start Codon aims to help and educate a multi-disciplinary oncology research community about entrepreneurship, how to start a company, how to fundraise and similar topics, with the goal of supporting the development of viable start-up businesses that will address unmet medical needs focused around oncology. The scheme is open nationwide and will be provided on a hybrid basis from Cambridge, UK.


The training scheme

The scheme is designed primarily to help PhD students, postdocs, and junior group leaders; however, all researchers interested in fighting cancer are encouraged to get involved, regardless of their career stage or discipline.

As part of the scheme, researchers will be:

  • Invited to attend educational seminars on a wide range of topics such as entrepreneurship, how to start a company, how to fundraise, team building and market and product research.
  • Exposed to in-person networking events to connect them with mentors and serial entrepreneurs.
  • Given the opportunity to interact with scientists from vastly different disciplines to co-develop ground-breaking new cancer therapeutic diagnostic and preventative solutions.
  • Provided with information and access relating to available funding opportunities to support their work, including grants and other non-dilutive funding, as well as angel investment and venture capital.


Together we can stop cancer in its tracks