FAQ

Fill out the online form through RAEng (Royal Academy of Engineering) website. Questions revolve around the stage of your innovation and your vision for commercialization.

Deadline for applications is 06 January 2020 at 11:55 PM. Approximately 20 applicants will be invited to pitch their technology to a selection panel at AIM on 23 January 2020. The final list of 15 Fellows will be announced on 30 January 2020.

See Phase 1: Selection of Fellows.

Applicants should have a lab-scale prototype of their innovation, as well as a general idea of which sector of society would benefit and who would purchase their product. Applicants with proof of concept may be selected under exceptional circumstances.

A pitch is a short description of your innovation and its commercialization potential. In the same way that research proposals have a format (Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results & Discussion), a pitch also has a general format.

AIM will provide guidelines and a template to shortlisted candidates. The pitch should answer the following questions:

• What problem does your innovation try to solve and why is solving that problem important?
• What benefit does your innovation provide to users who have that problem?
• What value, financial and social, will your innovation create?

The Fellowship program is delivered over 12 months from May to October 2020. You and your home institution must commit your time and focus to the program to reap its full benefit. As such, it would be best if some of your other responsibilities at your home institution (e.g., administration, teaching) could be significantly lessened during the Fellowship.

AIM has a track record of delivering leading edge, practitioner-oriented learning programs. The LIF program is accordingly structured as a “learning” phase, complemented by product development / iteration at your home institutions (the “action” phase).

During the learning phase, many of the sessions will involve pre-work in the form of readings, business cases, and articles. Wherever possible and helpful, we will be running simulations or role-playing exercises that will clarify and drive home the concepts taught in the lectures. On occasion, we will be privileged to have guest speaker/s.

Your performance during case discussions, simulations, and roundtables featuring our guests will all contribute to your experience at AIM. It will be impossible to fully understand the material if you do not come to class and if you do not participate. Skipping class will not only affect your learning but also severely affect the experience of the other Fellows.

RAEng and DOST will pay for:

• Training and mentoring program
• Roundtrip airfare
• Airport transfers
• Hotel accommodations
• Meals
• Visa fees
• Other UK-travel expenses incurred during the program

The DOST will cover airfare and accommodations of Fellows not based in Manila, but they need to go through AIM for reimbursement. Successful applicants and/or their home institutions will be responsible for arranging and paying for incidental expenses (not included above) incurred during the program.

An endorsement letter from your university or R&D Institute is necessary in order to be able to pitch and qualify as a fellow. The signed letter needs to be submitted on or before the pitch day at AIM.  

The endorsement letter ensures that your home institution understands the commitment in terms of time (i.e., official leave) and incidental expenses that will need to be covered for the launch, UK residential, and landing programs.

You need to have a valid passport in order to be selected for the Fellowship. Please have it renewed in time for your application.

If selected as a Fellow, ensure that you have a UK visa in time for your two-week residential program in the UK, arranged and supported by RAEng. To prepare you for this program, you and other fellows will undergo a three-day preparatory course (Launch Program) designed to orient your commercialization efforts and enhance your entrepreneurial skill set. 

The Launch Program is slated for 2 to 4 March 2020, and will cover the following topics, among others: Elements of Business, Market Segmentation and Positioning, Operational Feasibility, and Financial Viability. Fellows will receive details of the Launch Program.

UK visa applications are to be done individually by each Fellow following the standard process. Neither the UK Embassy in Manila nor the Newton Agham Programme needs to endorse your visa application. The invitation letter from the UK Royal Academy of Engineering is sufficient.

Accomplish your UK Visitor visa application via VFS Global. Payment and submission of documents can be done online, but personal appearance is required for the and biometrics. Visit the VFS Global visa information page for details.

Applicants may choose either the Manila or Cebu VFS office to file their applications and schedule a personal appearance.

Processing your UK visa application may take up to 15 working days from the time you submit all the required documents.

If you avail yourself of the Priority Visa Service or Super Priority Visa Service, you must shoulder the additional expense.

UK visa application follows the same standard procedure regardless of passport type. Fellows may use whichever passport they prefer but are still advised to apply for their UK visa as soon as possible.

Fellows are required to attend both the Launch Program and Landing Program at AIM. For Fellows living outside of the Metro Manila area, the DOST will cover both transportation and accommodation expenses based on existing government rules and regulations.

If you would like to stay at AIM, e-mail lifsecretariat@aim.edu. Early reservations are strongly encouraged to ensure that rooms are available. Lodging rates are estimated as follows:

AIM Conference Center Manila – Php2,500+ per person, per night

• Twin or single room accommodations (without breakfast)
• With private toilet and bath

AIM Dormitory – Php700+ per person, per night

• Two to four persons in a room (without breakfast)
• Common study area
• Common toilet and bath

Click here for the program schedule. Final dates for the Landing Program will be announced ahead of time during the LIF program.

You will receive a certificate from the Asian Institute of Management upon completing the program and you will be admitted into the AIM Alumni Association.

Additionally, the Royal Academy of Engineering will also award you a certificate for the UK Residential component.