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Five Step Application Process

Our application process is highly competitive and operates on a rolling basis.

 

We welcome applications from multidisciplinary regional teams committed to shaping the future of innovation and entrepreneurship in their region. Each team should bring together a diverse mix of participants across sectors such as government, academia, business, risk capital, and civil society.

 

To be eligible, teams must be nominated or endorsed by a regional authority or coordinating institution - such as a municipality, regional development agency, chamber of commerce, or public-private consortium.

 

Selected teams will join a global community of changemakers co-creating and executing actionable innovation plans with guidance from professors, mentors and experts from the Cambridge innovation ecosystem.

Step One Initial Expression of Interest (EOI)

​Regional authorities or lead institutions submit a short EOI via email to ipip@hughes.cam.ac.uk

In response, applicants will receive a detailed Information Pack, which includes:

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  • Programme structure and timeline

  • Tentative module and visit dates

  • Participation fees and associated costs

  • Guidance on team composition and next steps

 

We encourage early engagement, as places are limited and reviewed on a rolling basis.

Step Two Team Formation

Each participating region is expected to assemble a balanced and committed team of up to 12 members, representing all key stakeholder groups.

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The Regional Team will be responsible for:

  • Conducting a thorough assessment of the regional innovation ecosystem

  • Co-creating a tailored Regional Innovation Action Plan

  • Leading on Action Plan deployment

 

All team members are required to actively participate in the Programme, with an estimated time commitment of up to 60 hours over six months, including live modules, team collaboration, and Cambridge visit.

Step Three Formal Application Submission

The full application should include team member bios, an overview of the regional innovation context, and a clear motivation for joining the Programme.


Further guidance for this step will be provided after the Expression of Interest (EOI) is received (see Step 1).

Step Four Review & Selection

All applications are carefully reviewed by the Programme Team. As part of the selection process, online interviews will be conducted with selected representatives from the Regional Teams to better understand their vision, commitment, and readiness to participate.

Step Five Contracting & Onboarding

Selected regions will sign a participation agreement and receive a comprehensive set of onboarding materials to prepare for the programme launch, including key dates, session formats, and preparatory tasks.

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