Real Futures: Funding and Financials Masterclass with AI Simulator

​Funding Readiness for Deep Tech & PhD Founders Turning Research into a Venture-Backable Startup

​Transitioning from researcher to founder is one of the hardest - yet most rewarding - steps in the innovation journey. This masterclass helps PhD and deep tech founders understand what it truly takes to move from lab to market and become investment-ready.

​Across three key stages, we’ll unpack the entire funding journey:

​1️⃣ Thinking of Funding - Are you ready to raise? Learn how to assess your commercial potential, validate your market, and identify the right funding route (from grants to angel capital).

​2️⃣ Structuring for Funding - Understand how to build your company for investment: IP ownership, spinout agreements, SEIS/EIS readiness, cap tables, legal structure, and data room essentials.

​3️⃣ Post-Funding: Now What? - Learn how to manage investor relationships, governance, and plan your next round like a professional founder.

​Whether you’re still validating your research idea or preparing to raise your first round, this session will help you bridge the “translation gap” - turning scientific innovation into commercial traction. Delivered by the team behind AI Simulator, a platform designed to help founders test their investor readiness and identify gaps before approaching investors.

​This event is open to any students, researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, professionals - anyone, with a business, start-up or scale up.

​​​If you would like to apply to join our accelerator, or support as a delivery partner, expert or investor - click here