ICEX Spain Export and Investment and the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office in London are launching CHALLENGE SCIENCE in the UK, an international immersion programme aimed at Spanish science-based start-ups and spin-offs, originating from Spanish universities and research centres, with highly disruptive technologies and a strong R&D component.

CHALLENGE SCIENCE UK is supported by St John’s Innovation Centre, a leading organisation in scientific innovation in the UK, with direct experience in scaling up spin-offs and supporting technology commercialisation processes, and with connections to universities, corporations and investors.

The programme takes place between 15 and 26 June. Applications are open from 13 April to 4 May 2026. There are 24 places available.

Entrepreneurship in fields such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence, new materials and quantum computing is transforming the global economy by transferring scientific knowledge to the market. These solutions not only generate sustainable competitive advantages, but also create new markets and redefine strategic sectors.

In this context, the United Kingdom has established itself as one of the world’s most advanced ecosystems for knowledge transfer, university–business collaboration and specialised funding for scientific technologies. Its ability to connect world-class research with capital and the market positions the country as an ideal environment for the international scaling up of scientific spin-offs.

Participation in CHALLENGE SCIENCE will enable the selected Spanish companies to integrate into this ecosystem and accelerate their development through direct access to key players in the scientific, business and investment sectors.

This immersion programme aims to achieve several objectives:

• To facilitate the entry of Spanish spin-offs into the British ecosystem, providing practical knowledge on the mechanisms for scaling up scientific companies and reducing barriers to market access.
• To connect companies with the main players in the ecosystem (universities, research centres, specialist investors, corporations and technology transfer organisations), with the aim of generating real opportunities for collaboration, technology validation and investment.
• To deepen understanding of the British model of technology commercialisation, including key aspects such as intellectual property, regulation, access to deep-tech funding and the dynamics of public-private collaboration.
• To identify the main challenges facing the internationalisation of scientific technologies, such as market validation, access to specialised capital and adaptation to complex regulatory frameworks, and to define specific strategies to tackle these challenges with a greater likelihood of success.

The programme is divided into the following phases:

• Bootcamp (25 and 26 May): An initial workshop aimed at defining each company’s strategic objectives, aligning expectations and preparing their positioning within the UK ecosystem. It includes sessions on scientific storytelling, value proposition and key characteristics of the UK market.
• Pre-immersion programme (virtual format): A preparatory phase involving individual mentoring and specialised sessions focused on the commercialisation of scientific technologies. Companies will work on validating their proposition, adapting their pitch to UK investors and partners, and defining their market access strategy.
• UK Immersion Programme (15–26 June): An intensive two-week stay within the UK ecosystem (primarily London, Oxford and Cambridge), combining workshops, visits and networking with personalised meeting schedules.
• Post-Immersion and Follow-up Programme: ongoing support to consolidate contacts and progress with identified opportunities. This includes individual mentoring, the development of an action plan, and access to the Challenge Community to ensure the process continues.

The CHALLENGE SCIENCE UK programme is funded under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), which, under Component 13, “Support for SMEs”, implements the “Action Plan for Internationalisation” as part of Investment 5. And in Component 32, “Support for Recovery and Resilience in Response to Natural Disasters”, under Investment 5, it focuses on programmes to support the internationalisation of businesses in the territories affected by the DANA and to tackle the tariff crisis.

Registration can be completed via the online form between 13 April and 4 May 2026.