Scottish Enterprise (SE), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), supported by the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE), are seeking to appoint a single supplier framework to provide and deliver the training and development component of the Enterprise Fellowship programme. The purpose of the programme's training and development component is to equip the Enterprise Fellows with the necessary skills, knowledge and experience they require to make the transition from a research environment to form a successful high growth business. It is anticipated that the framework will commence on 1.9.2017.

The Enterprise Fellowship programme targets innovators who have entrepreneurial potential and a promising science and technology based business idea. The programme is funded by Scottish Enterprise (SE), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and may also include other public bodies funding and/or partnering in the Enterprise Fellowship programme (the ‘Purchasers’). The Enterprise Fellowship Programme is delivered for and on behalf of the Purchasers and is delivered in partnership with the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE).

The key objective of the programme is to enable the Enterprise Fellows to play a leading role in the launch of a new spin-out company or technology based start-up with high growth potential.

The objectives for the training and development provider are to:

— ensure each Enterprise Fellow understands what is required and is capable of successfully launching and growing a new technology company with global potential;

— ensure each Enterprise Fellow can make the transition from an academic or technical background to business by ensuring each Enterprise Fellow develops the necessary business skills and knowledge to play a leading role in the new company; develops the necessary confidence and competence to fulfil their chosen role in the new company; develops a personal business network which can provide ongoing business support and advice;

— assist each Enterprise Fellow to develop a viable investment ready business plan which can be realistically implemented following the end of the Fellowship.

Entrepreneurship training and development is a critical component of the Enterprise Fellowships Programme. The Enterprise Fellows tend to be highly skilled researchers in key technology areas with equally high expectations for the businesses they will go on to form. In order to unlock this potential the programme partners seek an innovative and resourceful supplier to energise and empower the Enterprise Fellows through the provision of a high quality training and development programme.

The supplier must balance a broad range of business, personal, technical, sectoral and geographical requirements across successive overlapping cohorts while maintaining the highest standard of delivery against the key objectives related to developing each entrepreneur and their business.

The supplier should be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills and expertise in the following areas:

— innovative and flexible delivery of training and development of early stage technology entrepreneurs as they build high growth businesses;

— successful approaches to the commercialisation of technology via a spinout or start-up company;

— keys risks to technology start-ups and how to manage them;

— national and international experience related to the stimulation and growth of new technology based firms;

— the UK innovation support infrastructure as it relates to spin-outs and technology start-ups;

— research base, private sector and public sector activity related to the stimulation and growth of new technology based firms in the UK;

— evidence of knowledge, networks and linkages into the UK investment community, especially the Scottish and London communities;

— established links to support networks the Enterprise Fellows can access post the Enterprise Fellowship.

The Enterprise Fellowship Programme is a UK-wide scheme with the training and mentoring delivered across the UK and the bidder should demonstrate how they will ensure uniformity of delivery and outcome.

While there are currently 3 main funders additional funders may join the scheme in the future and the bidder should demonstrate how they will be flexible enough to cope with additional funders joining and hence potentially an increase in the number of Fellows per cohort.

Please refer to the tender documentation for further details of our requirements.