BIC Innovation is working in partnership with St John’s Innovation Centre Training — the Royal Academy of Engineering’s lead delivery partner for Regional Talent Engines (RTE) — to bring this innovative programme to founders across Wales. Applications for the 2026 cohort close on 14 April, and we want to make sure Welsh talent doesn’t miss out.
RTE is a six-month pre-accelerator built for early-stage engineering and technology founders who have the technical ability and the idea, but need the right conditions to develop it into something real. BIC Innovation’s role is to ensure that founders in Wales receive locally-grounded, in-person support — backed by the national infrastructure and reputation of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Every participant receives £20,000 of equity-free funding to cover living costs during the programme, giving them the freedom to properly commit to building their venture. That financial foundation is matched with expert mentoring, business coaching, and structured training covering the essentials: customer discovery, prototyping, refining a value proposition, and developing a sustainable business model.
The local delivery that BIC provides is a core part of what makes RTE programme successful. Founders benefit from in-person learning within their own region, while also connecting with peers and mentors across all five programme locations — Swansea, Belfast, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle. On completing the programme, participants join the Enterprise Hub’s national community as lifetime members.
The results across previous cohorts are impressive: RTE founders have collectively raised more than £20 million in follow-on investment and created over 250 jobs since 2022, with a ‘world-class’ NPS score of 81.7 for the programme.
Applications are open now and close 14 April 2026.
