Exeter holds fourth annual Technology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
Exeter’s Department of Engineering has recently completed its fourth annual Technology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (TEB), held on the University’s Streatham Campus.
The five-day programme brought together 52 students from around the world to develop entrepreneurial skills through collaborative workshops, mentoring and venture development, culminating in team pitches to a panel of industry judges. The programme concluded with a keynote address from University of Exeter Engineering alumnus Sebastian Wood, Managing Director of Whitby Wood.
The bootcamp was led by UC Berkeley industry faculty member Gigi Wang and delivered by the University of Exeter’s Department of Engineering team, Amber Strong-Yates and Dr Peter Melville-Shreeve. The programme combined academic, industry and entrepreneurial perspectives to introduce students to innovation, venture creation and responsible entrepreneurship.
This year’s cohort included both undergraduate and postgraduate students from more than 12 countries, including Ghana, France, China, Kazakhstan, Poland, Ukraine and the United States. Participants represented 24 academic disciplines, including Medicine, Law, Engineering and Business.
The programme was open to students from any discipline and did not require participants to have an existing business idea. Students formed interdisciplinary teams on the first day and were supported throughout the week by 14 entrepreneurial mentors and 15 guest speakers from industry, academia and the startup community.
By the end of the programme, each team had developed and presented a new venture concept to a judging panel of industry professionals, University of Exeter alumni entrepreneurs and international innovation specialists.
Professor Ion Sucala, Head of Engineering at the University of Exeter, said: “The Technology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp gives students the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills while working in multidisciplinary teams to address real-world challenges. It encourages collaboration, creative problem-solving and an understanding of how innovation can contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthy future.”
The programme also continues to foster connections beyond the week itself. This year’s participants joined the growing TEB alumni network, with recent graduates returning to campus for an alumni event alongside Gigi Wang to share their experiences and reconnect with previous cohorts.
Applications Now Open: TEB for PhD Candidates and Early Career Researchers
Building on this success, and in response to exceptional demand, the University of Exeter is launching a dedicated edition of the Technology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp exclusively for postgraduate students, PhD candidates and Early Career Researchers, running 7–11 December 2026.
This new programme brings the same intensive, five-day, in-person format, team formation, mentorship from global industry experts including Gigi Wang, and a live pitch to industry judges, to PhD candidates and early career researchers looking to translate academic discovery into real-world venture opportunities and impact.
Applications are open now for the event, which will be held from December 7-11 2026 on the Streatham Campus. Places are limited.
To apply, please visitTechnology Entrepreneurship Bootcamp | Engineering | University of Exeter or contact TEBbootcamp@exeter.ac.uk
