Harnessing the power of individuals is one of the main recurring theme in fiction.

From The Odyssey to Marvel, the audience always has loved watching these characters unleash their talent, discover their true power, through obstacles, difficulties and training.

Not only do we like these stories for the great journeys these heroes are going through, but also because they are a reflection of ourselves.

Everyone has in themselves this light, this talent at the core of their soul. Whether it's in arts, science, sports, business, politics, etc., everyone has this glimmer of hope, this glimmer of power inside them.

The Venture Science Doctorate, is the groundbreaking initiative that turns this talent, this hidden gem, into a glowing star. The VSD is the initiative that turns innovators into super-heroes.

Training the heroes of tomorrow

The Venture Science Doctorate (VSD) reinvents the traditional PhD by putting venture at the heart of research, created by Deep Science Ventures (DSV).

The unique program is driven by the mission to train and supercharge high-potential innovators from all backgrounds into high-impact science entrepreneurs, aiming to address the most pressing challenges in Climate, Agriculture, Computing and Health. Applications for the second cohort are now open.

The Venture Science Doctorate is the world’s first “Venture Focused PhD”. It lasts 3 years, and is a fully-funded PhD program in which candidates develop core technologies and scientific solutions, originating from targeted societal outcomes, for their own ventures. In addition to the whole VSD ecosystem, the program offers a living stipend as well as covers travel and research costs.

The Venture Science Doctorate (VSD) is the world’s first venture creation focused PhD program. Historically, STEM has failed to engage and often actively excluded many people — especially based on gender, race, region, and resources. We welcome applications from anywhere in the world, into a doctoral training program for all aspiring science founders.

The doctorate elite

In February 2023 VSD launched a global open call for its first cohort, which received 400+ applications. Four candidates were selected, a 1% acceptance rate. Now 4 weeks into the 3-year Venture Science Doctorate, the cohort has already delved into courses  including Scoping, Venture Science Finance and Complex Decision-making. The VSD approach? Learning from a community of successful founders, scientists, deep tech funders, policymakers and more.

One such emerging talent is Lindsay Gorman. Formerly a Senior Fellow for Emerging Technologies at the German Marshall Fund and a senior adviser in the Biden White House, Lindsay has notably steered US-China tech dynamics, specialising in areas like AI, 5G, and quantum information. Her roles, background and achievements are an example of what makes the VSD cohort so unique.

Breaking with tradition

Paramount, traditional PhD programs often fall short of equipping the next generation of scientists for the task. VSD is different. Candidates are selected based on their entrepreneurial potential and moulded into visionary founders capable of creating ventures that have real-world impact.

“The Venture Science Doctorate programme is another string to our bow in supporting our brightest scientists and innovators to turn their research into the next generation of ambitious science and tech companies, helping us to tackle the greatest challenges facing humanity, from tackling climate change to feeding a growing population.” stated George Freeman MP, UK Minister for Science, Research and Innovation, recognising its importance

Candidates directly target the most important questions in their sector, learning to design their own research projects from first-principles and launching companies based on this research, to deliver impact, not just knowledge. On top of this, they meet and work with some of the world’s most forward-thinking supervisors, in an entrepreneurial environment made up of like-minded peers, partners, and investors.

Discover more and apply now for the Venture Science Doctorate’s second cohort here: https://deepscienceventures.com/venture-science-doctorate