The Oxford Moonshot: Applications Open
Move your deeptech venture from validated idea towards investment-readiness with Oxford's pre-seed accelerator.
What it is
The Oxford Moonshot is the University's pre-seed accelerator for DPhil students and early-career researchers building high-potential deeptech ventures. It's for researchers with a validated idea who are ready to commit to working towards investment readiness and incorporation.
This year's cohort focuses on two verticals, Health & Life Sciences and National Resilience. Each one gives you deep industry expertise and routes to specialist investors, incubators and labs. Over four months you'll learn alongside fellow founders through in-person peer sessions, deep dives with expert guest speakers, and ongoing mentoring and coaching. The core programme ends with a Demo Day, where you pitch for equity-free prizes, investment opportunities and exposure. Committed founders are invited to continue into Flight 2 for tailored support.
Want to know more first? Join the online information session on Tuesday 20 October, 5–5.30pm.
The full vertical breakdown, from diagnostics and therapeutics to secure digital systems and space, is on The Oxford Moonshot programme page.
Details
| Applications close | Friday 30 October 2026 |
| When | Flight 1: January–May 2027, starting with a residency weekend. Flight 2: May–July 2027 |
| Where | In person, Oxford |
| Cost | Free, and no equity taken |
| Who it's for | University of Oxford DPhil candidates (or alumni of up to two years) and early-career researchers (0–5 years post-DPhil) |
| What you need | A validated proof of concept, prototype or MVP (TRL 3+); early traction such as pilots, early customers, investor interest or LOIs; and prior entrepreneurship training, such as StEP Ignite, Oxford Venture Builder, OX1 or the Oxbridge AI Challenge |
| Verticals | Health & Life Sciences, and National Resilience |
| Key dates | Info session 20 Oct · Applications close 30 Oct · Decisions by 9 Nov · Applicant lunch 1 Dec · Residency weekend January 2027 |
| Organiser | EnSpire Oxford |
| Questions | greg.jones@admin.ox.ac.uk |
Apply
Four months to investment-readiness, from January 2027.
Applications are highly competitive and close Friday 30 October.
