The Royal Academy of Engineering celebrates a decade of supporting talented entrepreneurs and decision makers to transform breakthrough engineering innovations into disruptive spinouts, early stage, scaling businesses and scaleups that have a real impact on society. Its Scale Up Accelerator empowers leaders of high-growth engineering and tech businesses by equipping them with the leadership skills and insights needed to scale up successfully.

The programme offers a tailored 12-month package of leadership training, coaching and business mentoring, backed by a £10k grant to fund training of participants’ choosing. Each cohort of 15 scaling leaders is also connected with mentors from the Academy’s network 1,700+ fellows. 

Mentors have industry and tech businesses scaling experience, so they can support with technology and business needs. This sits alongside expert-led workshops, speaker events, fireside chats and investor referrals. The range of support offered allows participants to create a bespoke package tailored to their scaling priorities and ambitions. 

Upon graduation participants are given lifetime membership of the Academy’s Enterprise Hub, with access to its co-working spaces in London and Belfast and a new hub Glasgow, which opened in 2023. Additionally the Academy has developed a new exclusive alumni programme EXPLORE to help previous programme participants to tap into overseas  markets and ecosystems and access investors; it also facilitates peer-to-peer networking events, connections, and ongoing mentoring opportunities for alumni. 

Other new developments in the past year include increasing the number of participants per cohort and extending programme duration to 12 months, giving scaling leaders an additional six months to access support. A new Culture+ platform – developed in partnership with The Honeycomb Works – is a dedicated equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) resource for scaling companies, giving access to training, policy templates, checklists, case studies, and opportunities for self and peer reflection.

Since 2016, 143 scaleup leaders have participated in the programme, more than 3,000 new jobs have been created and company valuations have increased by £1.76bn. On average, participants increased their employment by more than 50 per cent after 12 months of support and received £976m in investment and £133m in grant funding since the programme started. 

“The Shott Scaleup accelerator is designed for skilled executives who have identified a knowledge gap that they want to work on both individually and professionally. It’s a structured and supportive environment to learn from peers, coaches, mentors, and the wider RAEng network. It’s a really great opportunity for industry leaders to explore new ways of thinking, working, and strategizing for growth.”
– Amber Michelle Hill, Research Grid

“The Shott Scale Accelerator Programme has been transformative for myself as a leader and for my organisation as we grow. It has equipped me with skills, knowledge and networks that will help propel us forward.”
– James Willard, MicrofluidX

“I set out to grow as a leader to grow the business and the programme has achieved that. I feel more confident and have been given a range of practical and helpful tools.”
– Vicky De Groof, Holiferm

Shott Scale Up Accelerator [2023] website