Conception X2027 deadline, funding, equity and how to apply
Free 9-month deep tech venture programme for PhD researchers in the UK and Europe. No equity taken; top teams can raise up to £300K. Apply by 6 December 2026.
- Up to $390K
- Funding
- No equity
- Equity
- 9 months
- Program length
- December 6
- Deadline (40 days left)
About Conception X
Conception X is a not-for-profit venture programme that helps PhD researchers turn their research into deep tech companies. It started in London in 2018 and now works with researchers across the UK and Europe. Its flagship is the Venture Scientist 100, a free nine-month fellowship for about 100 researchers a year.
It runs part-time, alongside the PhD, and needs roughly 65 hours over nine months, with three mandatory in-person events and the rest mostly online. The programme takes no fees and no equity, and students keep the IP linked to their project. The top teams can receive up to £300,000 in equity investment from partners XTX Ventures and the Conception X angel syndicate, plus six months of one-to-one coaching and a Demo Day pitch to more than 200 early-stage deep tech investors.
Conception X reports 869 founders launched, 250 companies created and a portfolio valuation above £1 billion, with presence in 15 countries and 92 universities. It says 34% of Venture Scientist 100 teams go on to build high-growth companies.4M pre-seed, Kapacity, acquired by EnergyHub, Rahko, acquired by Odyssey Therapeutics, and Humanloop, whose team joined Anthropic.
Applications for the Spring 2027 cohort close on 6 December 2026. It also runs Raise, a 10-week investment readiness programme.
What Conception X looks for
Conception X looks for technical PhD researchers whose research could become a company. Applicants must be registered at a UK or European university and bring an innovative technology based on their own research. Recent graduates, postdocs and early-career researchers can be considered. No business experience or existing company is needed. The programme wants researchers who will commit about 65 hours over nine months, attend the in-person events and test whether their science has a real market.
How the Conception X program works
The Venture Scientist 100 runs from March to November. It has 18 expert-led sessions split into three phases: Explore, Test and Launch. In Explore, researchers look at the problems their work could solve and who would pay for it.
In Test, they run customer discovery and test the commercial case. In Launch, they prepare a company and an investment pitch. Sessions are mostly online, with three mandatory in-person events.
The total time commitment is about 65 hours over nine months, designed to fit around a PhD. At the end, the top 15 teams pitch at Demo Day to more than 200 early-stage deep tech investors. Top teams can get up to £300,000 in investment and six months of one-to-one coaching and pitch training.
Raise is a separate 10-week programme for science teams that are preparing to raise money.
How to apply to Conception X
- 1Confirm you are a PhD student at a UK or European university, or an exceptional recent graduate, postdoc or early-career researcher.
- 2Identify the technology from your research that could become a product.
- 3Check you can commit about 65 hours over nine months and attend three in-person events.
- 4Complete the Venture Scientist 100 application form linked from conceptionx.org before 6 December 2026.
- 5If selected, start with the Spring 2027 cohort in March 2027.
Startup perks after acceptance
Accelerator startups qualify for most startup credit programs. These are the ones founders claim first.
Notable Conception X alumni
Companies that went through or were backed by Conception X.
Conception X vs similar accelerators
| Program | Funding | Equity | Location | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conception X | Up to $390K | No equity | London | December 6, 2026 (40 days left) |
| Barclays Eagle Labs | No cash investment | No equity | London | November 20, 2026 (24 days left) |
| Level39 | No cash investment | No equity | London | Rolling admissions |
| Plexal | No cash investment | No equity | London | Next deadline not announced yet |
| Creative Destruction Lab | No cash investment | No equity | 17 sites including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle, London, Paris, Berlin, Melbourne | Next deadline not announced yet |
| Seedcamp | Up to $1.3M | Varies | London, UK | Rolling admissions |
Conception X FAQ
When is the Conception X application deadline?+
The current Conception X deadline is December 6, 2026, for Spring 2027 cohort, running March to November 2027. Apply early: many programs review applications as they arrive.
Does Conception X cost money or take equity?+
No. Conception X is a not-for-profit fellowship. The Venture Scientist 100 has no fees and takes no equity in the companies it helps create. Researchers keep the IP linked to their project. Investment for top teams comes from partners, namely XTX Ventures and the Conception X angel syndicate, not from the programme itself.
Can I do Conception X while finishing my PhD?+
Yes. The programme is designed to run alongside a PhD. It is part-time and needs about 65 hours over nine months. Most sessions are online, with three mandatory in-person events. Students do not need to pause their research or leave their university to take part.
What results has Conception X produced?+
Conception X reports 869 founders launched, 250 companies created and a portfolio valuation above £1 billion across 15 countries and 92 universities. ReactWise raised a $3.4M pre-seed. Kapacity was acquired by EnergyHub, Rahko by Odyssey Therapeutics, and the Humanloop team joined Anthropic. It says 34% of its teams build high-growth companies.
Sources: conceptionx.org, conceptionx.org, blogs.imperial.ac.uk, enspire.ox.ac.uk, articles.marketsmedia.com