INSIGHTS / Blog

Q&A Blog: Insights from Sara Drais on the ICURe Engage Programme

Introduce yourself and your venture

Sara Drais: My name is Sara Drais. I’m a microbiologist and engineer at the University of Strathclyde, and we are working on developing natural, plant-based antimicrobial and anti-biofilm agents. We are currently on the path to commercialising our technology.

Why did you decide to take part in ICURe Engage?

Sara Drais: This is actually a funny story because I wasn’t initially aware that there was a biofilm programme. Then, the deadline for applications was extended, and I received an email saying I could still apply if I was interested. I got really excited because one of my friends had just completed another ICURe programme, and since the deadline had only been extended by a couple of days, I rushed to my desk, wrote the application, and was lucky enough to secure a spot in the cohort.

I had already heard great things about ICURe in general, and I felt it was the perfect first step for researchers like me to explore a completely new area that we weren’t familiar with.

What training did you receive on the programme?

Sara Drais: The programme was well-balanced and served as a great introduction to commercialisation. Since it was part-time, it didn’t require a huge commitment, which made it easier to manage alongside other responsibilities. If I remember correctly, we had weekly sessions, and our cohort was quite small, which allowed us to connect with others in the same position.

The training provided a smooth transition from research to understanding market needs and validation. To put it simply, it was an introductory step into what commercialisation could mean for us as researchers.

What has it enabled you to do going forward?

Sara Drais: The programme was really helpful in making us understand what we needed to do to commercialise our technology and, more importantly, how crucial it is to consider market needs – especially at an early stage. Identifying market needs early on helped us shape our technology to ensure it directly addresses real-world problems.

Was it important that the training was themed on biofilms?

Sara Drais: Absolutely. Biofilms are starting to gain more attention, but there is still a lot of progress to be made in raising awareness. One of the key benefits of the programme was meeting other researchers working on biofilm-related technologies, allowing us to build a small community around this field.

Additionally, having access to the National Biofilms Innovation Centre was incredibly valuable. It provided us with insights into what’s available in terms of biofilm-related opportunities.

Would you recommend it to other researchers working on biofilms-related innovations?

Sara Drais: Yes, absolutely. I would actually recommend it to any researcher working on innovation in general, particularly those focused on biofilms. ICURe offers a targeted programme for biofilms, which is incredibly useful when it comes to commercialising your idea successfully.

As researchers, there are some factors we don’t typically consider when thinking about commercialisation. However, once we step outside academia and into the real world, we realise how crucial these considerations are for the development of our technology.

How did you find balancing the programme with your other responsibilities, and how much time did it take up?

Sara Drais: Balancing the programme was very manageable for me. As I mentioned earlier, it was a part-time commitment, lasting around four weeks. Some people might worry about juggling it with their other responsibilities, but in reality, it was very structured and easy to manage. The training sessions, calls, and assignments were well-paced, so I never felt overwhelmed or like I was struggling to keep up.

Final thoughts

If I could add one more thing, it would be to highlight the incredible support provided by ICURe. The mentors and everyone involved in delivering the programme were extremely supportive. They understand that we come from an academic background and that we don’t always speak the same ‘business language.’ But they were fantastic at bridging that gap and introducing us to the commercial side of things in a way that was accessible and engaging.

For that reason, along with everything else, I would definitely recommend ICURe.

ICURe is an Innovate UK programme, funded by the National Biofilms Innovation Centre and delivered by the SETsquared Partnership.