Training
Guiding future innovators to make an impact.
Flexible, evidence-led and impact-focused.
At SETsquared Bristol, we empower researchers, university teams, and corporate innovators to turn ideas into real-world impact. Our training programmes are designed to build the skills, confidence, and mindset needed to explore entrepreneurship, commercialisation, and the path to spin-out creation.
Our programmes equip participants with practical tools, structured frameworks, and expert guidance grounded in the realities of entrepreneurship. Backed by our strong regional reputation and extensive industry network, every course draws on a wealth of collective knowledge, experience, and insight.
Our training ranges from short, intensive workshops to immersive multi-week programmes available in self-serve, virtual, and face-to-face formats. Each course is designed to fit within academic schedules, funding requirements, and organisational priorities while ensuring a transformative experience for participants.
We bring together experienced coaches, entrepreneurs, and commercialisation specialists who understand the unique challenges faced by researchers and innovation teams. The result: training that is practical, engaging, and proven to accelerate the journey from idea to impact.
- All
- Idea Development
- Ideation
- Personal Development
Wayfinder: Understand the founder journey
A practical, insight-driven training series
exploring the realities of founding and running a startup. Through six interactive
sessions, participants gain a deeper understanding of the founder journey, from idea development and product evolution to funding, risk, and exit strategies. Delivered through interactive discussions, each session features business experts sharing candid stories, lessons learned, and sector-specific insights. Wayfinder helps researchers build entrepreneurial confidence and grow their personal networks.
In-person course 
Six 2-hour sessions
Pathfinder: Explore new ideas
Discover how to create innovative solutions to complex problems in this fast-paced and interactive idea-generation workshop. You’ll be taught approaches to divergent and convergent thinking to enable you to think more creatively and with a broader perspective. You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of your own motivations and your path forward.
Read more- In-person workshop
- 1-day
Map: Find your path
Build a practical understanding of the commercialisation process and what it takes to thrive in a business environment. Whether you’re looking to progress into the corporate world or expand an idea you have for a new technology through a startup or SME, you’ll gain clarity on the most suitable direction of travel by mapping out a strategic way forward. Tap into the inspiration, expertise and resources of the SETsquared Bristol community, where innovation experts will enable you to get your ideas off the ground. will enable you to get your ideas off the ground.
Read more
Online- 4 x 20-minute videos, plus exercises
Self-paced
Shield: Guard your innovation
Find out how to protect your ideas and research with this comprehensive workshop on Intellectual Property (IP). The course will help you understand how IP is owned and managed, and you can ask our legal experts the questions you need answered.
Read more- In-person workshop
- Half day
Compass: Shift into commercial readiness
Hone your commercial skills and work with expert professionals to assess the viability of your business idea. This course includes seminars, workshops, mentoring and networking to help you take your business plan to the next level. You’ll have access to peer support from like-minded people who are also working on their business ideas, allowing you to build a workable understanding of everything from market research and intellectual property to financial strategy, business models and value chains. By the end of the course, you will know if your idea is ready to be launched as a business. You will also have pitched your idea to a panel of experts whose feedback and recommendations will guide you on the next steps of your entrepreneurial journey.
Read more- In-person course
- 3.5 days
- 16 study modules
Beacon: Build a persuasive pitch
Learn about the importance of clearly communicating your ideas and research by practising how to successfully translate and pitch your work to different audiences. The workshop will see you gain valuable experience by understanding how to articulate your ideas in a way that speaks to your peers, other professionals, potential collaborators, business leaders and government figures. You will leave the course with a polished elevator pitch and valuable feedback from an expert industry panel that will serve you on your growth trajectory.
Read more- In-person workshop
- 2 days
Explore: Apply knowledge to industry
Learn how to navigate industry and market trends and develop solutions to real-world problems. During the 3 days, you will work in a multi-disciplinary team and be matched with an SME and a business mentor to tackle a business challenge. This will equip you with an operational understanding of industry challenges, ranging from finding a new market for a technology, to scoping out potential customers and taking a responsible innovation approach to solution development. On the final day you will present your business solution to the SME.
Read more- In-person course
- 3 days
Navigator: Lead the way
Unlock your leadership potential through this online training course, which will give you confidence in project planning, managing and being part of a team, effective communication, presentation skills and understanding unconscious bias. Through six videos, as well as access to resources and SETsquared Bristol’s peer network, you will learn influential skills that strengthen your capabilities as a leader.
Read more- Online
- 6 x 20-minute videos, plus exercises
- Self-paced