St John’s Innovation Centre Training (SJIC) is proud to be the Royal Academy of Engineering’s lead delivery partner for Regional Talent Engines (RTE) programme and applications for the 2026 cohort are now open.
Working alongside regional partners BIC Innovation in Wales and RTC North across the North of England, SJIC coordinates delivery of this flagship six-month pre-accelerator, supporting early-stage engineering and technology founders across Northern England, Northern Ireland, and Wales.
RTE is designed for people with sound technical expertise who have a compelling idea but need the structure, funding, and community to take it further. Participants receive £20,000 in equity-free funding to support their living costs while they focus on developing their venture — removing one of the most common barriers between talented founders and real progress.
Beyond the funding, participants benefit from expert mentoring and business coaching from experienced entrepreneurs and industry leaders, alongside hands-on practical training in everything from customer discovery and prototyping to shaping a business model. Learning is delivered locally and in person across five locations: Belfast, Swansea, Leeds, Liverpool, and Newcastle.
Participants also gain access to regional networks and the broader national community of the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Hub — with lifetime membership awarded on completing the programme, ensuring the support and connections continue long after the six months are up.
Since launching in 2022, RTE founders have raised over £20 million in further funding, created more than 250 jobs, and tackled real-world engineering challenges through the companies they’ve built. The programme holds a Net Promoter Score of 81.7 — a strong indicator of the genuine impact it has on participants.
Applications opened on 23 February and close on 14 April 2026. If you’re a technically minded founder with an idea worth backing, this is your opportunity.
Find out more and apply here!