Frequently
Asked Questions
General
Who can apply to Panacea Stars?
Scientists, clinicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs — anyone with the ambition to build transformative healthcare ventures. You can join at any stage based on your commercial maturity: pre-idea, early-stage, or scale-ready.
Do I need a team or an incorporated company to apply?
No. Many of our founders begin solo. We help you validate your idea, build your founding team, and structure your venture as you progress.
Do I have to relocate to Oxford or London?
No. Our programmes are designed to be hybrid, with key physical events like bootcamps and Demo Days in Oxford or London, but much of the work can be done remotely.
How competitive is admission?
Highly competitive. Our acceptance rate is typically less than 10%. We look for world-class founders solving high-value problems in healthcare and life sciences.
Ignite Phase
Is Ignite only for people with a scientific background?
Yes. Our focus is on founders who bring technical or clinical expertise crucial for solving complex healthcare problems.
What if I don’t have an idea yet?
You can join the Inbound Ventures stream, where we help you co-create a venture aligned with critical unmet needs identified by our corporate partners.
How do you help build early conviction?
Through technical sprints, market validation exercises, mentorship from domain experts, and structured venture creation bootcamps tailored to your thematic area.
Stride Phase
Can I apply directly to Stride if I already have IP, a founding team, and early validation?
Yes. If you are at the early proof-of-concept stage and want to engineer your venture for investment readiness, Stride is designed for you.
How much support do you provide for fundraising readiness?
Extensive. We help you build your investor collateral (business plans, decks, CAP tables), refine your fundraising narrative, prepare for investor conversations, and pitch at Demo Day to our curated network.
Do you introduce founders to potential pharma or strategic partners?
Yes. Early engagements with pharma, CROs, and other healthcare strategic partners are a core part of the Stride programme.
Surge Phase
What investment size does Panacea Capital provide at Surge?
Panacea Capital provides pre-seed or seed investment aligned to clear, milestone-driven roadmaps. Investment amounts vary based on company maturity and growth plans. Check Panacea Capital Website HERE.
Does Panacea continue investing after Surge?
Yes. Selected companies from Surge may receive follow-on investment from Panacea Capital in Seed and Series A rounds, alongside external investors.
What happens during the 12-month Surge residency?
You receive capital and are embedded with Panacea’s operational experts, focusing on hitting clinical and commercial milestones, building the team, strengthening governance, and scaling market access.
Ownership, IP, and Founder Control
Does Panacea own my IP?
No. You retain ownership of your intellectual property. We help founders protect, develop, and commercialise their IP — not take it.
Do you take equity during Ignite or Stride?
No. Ignite and Stride are non-dilutive and fee-free. We only invest and take equity when you enter Surge with a mutual agreement.
Will I need to assign shares to Panacea before I get an investment?
No. All equity transactions are standard, transparent venture capital investments, only starting at the Surge phase.
Post-Programme Support
Do I stay connected to Panacea after graduating?
Yes. You become part of the Panacea Alumni Network, gaining ongoing access to investors, mentors, partners, and exclusive community events like Nexus Nights and annual alumni summits.
Do you continue supporting fundraising after Surge?
Yes. Our team helps alumni navigate Seed, Series A, and later rounds, through introductions, strategy development, and support during investor due diligence processes.
Other Questions
Is Panacea Stars only focused on the UK market?
No. While based in Oxford and London, we support global founders and help ventures access international markets.
What sectors do you prioritise?
We focus on TechBio, Digital Health, Diagnostics, MedTech Life Sciences Platforms, and Next-Generation Therapeutics.
How soon should I apply?
As early as possible. Programmes have limited capacity and fill quickly due to strong demand.
Still have questions?
Get in touch.
