Deep Tech pioneers of tomorrow
The importance of education and outreach in diversifying and empowering the future of science entrepreneurship.
By Charlie Proctor, Head of Outreach at Science Creates
Charlie Proctor, Head of Outreach, and Founder & CEO of Science Creates' independent charity, discusses the importance of education and outreach in diversifying and empowering the future of science entrepreneurship, and shares the long-term commitment of the charity to tackle career aspirations in STEM.
Bringing the local community along on our journey of scientific discovery and wonder has run through Science Creates’ veins since the company’s first incubator opened in 2017, when we started inviting local schools to visit our labs and participate in workshops with our members. In 2022, these efforts continued to be cemented through the inception of Science Creates Outreach — the company’s own registered charity — dedicated to shaping the scientists and innovators of tomorrow.
In 2025, we’ve taken this even further with our Outreach pillar: an extended offer with yet more fundraising events and STEM workshops to make sure that everyone can learn and engage with the world of science startups, Deep Tech and entrepreneurship. Why? Because changing the world is a group effort that needs diverse ideas and colourful approaches.
These manifestos are from the minds of 10-year-olds. Children know, just as we do, the challenges that await us; they share many of the same worries.
In a world grappling with climate change, pandemics, resource scarcity and healthcare disparities, the need for innovative solutions has never been more urgent. To tackle the scale of these global issues effectively, we need more scientists and Deep Tech entrepreneurs, and we need to train them now.
Education and outreach play a vital role in shaping the scientists and innovators of tomorrow, who will be at the forefront of finding solutions to our complex, upcoming problems. Children possess a remarkable ability to envision a better future, untainted by the limitations of the present. This inclination, plus their natural curiosity, needs to be harnessed and kept alive. We believe encouraging and nurturing this mindset will lead to a pipeline of young scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs with a passion for creating a better, cleaner world for all of us.
Children possess a remarkable ability to envision a better future, untainted by the limitations of the present. This inclination, plus their natural curiosity, needs to be harnessed and kept alive.
However, career aspirations are not where we need them to be. In fact, just 16% of 10- to 18-year olds aspire to a career in STEM (Archer et al., 2020). From the science programmes of the 1960s, the introduction of the GCSE double science award at the end of the 80s and the more recent increase in science in the current curriculum, there have been continued attempts to improve the way we teach science. Yet, science still remains unapproachable and unappealing for some. The point here is that just introducing more science into the curriculum without thinking about how or why it is being taught is not increasing the likelihood of more people wanting to take it as a degree or aspiring to it as a career.
Our charity, Science Creates Outreach, has a unique approach. Nestled amongst world-changing science and engineering companies at our Old Market incubator is The Learning Lab — a dedicated space for welcoming in the Bristol community and a hub for STEM entrepreneurship education for young people. Within the heart of working science laboratories, surrounded by founders of groundbreaking startups, we immerse young minds in the how and the why of Deep Tech. School classes, community groups and education networks can book tours of the incubator, participate in hands-on workshops in the lab and meet the people behind today’s scientific advancements. By providing real-world experiences alongside pioneering entrepreneurs, the charity instils a passion for problem-solving and innovation. These interactions with a diverse range of role models help to demystify scientific careers, making them more tangible and achievable for aspiring young students.
It cannot be overlooked that the future of innovation lies in embracing diverse perspectives. Right now, the STEM workforce lacks representation across dimensions like gender, ethnicity, age and socioeconomic background. Diverse perspectives have been proven to yield more creative and effective solutions to complex challenges, yet women make up just 28% of the workforce in STEM and only 12% of this workforce are from ethnic minorities**. Addressing these disparities is crucial if we are to encourage a more inclusive and innovative scientific community. That’s why we target specific schools, work with community groups and encourage young people from all backgrounds to pursue careers in STEM fields, in order to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our global society.
We’re fully committed. This is a long-term and large-scale project, in which we want young people to visit repeatedly to increase their awareness, skills and connections with today’s scientists and entrepreneurs. We are targeting all stages of the 15- to 20-year education and innovation lifecycle, designing our programmes to make real impact in the UK — in line with government objectives in STEM and the economy.
By empowering the next generation with the skills, knowledge and confidence to tackle global challenges, the charity is unlocking a brighter future for science innovation and the wellbeing of our planet. The young minds inspired and educated through this initiative will become the catalysts for meaningful change in society. Not only will they lead scientific advancements in the future, but also inspire adults to take greater actions to protect our planet today. There’s a difference between liking science and aspiring to be a scientific founder, and Science Creates Outreach aims to bridge that gap.
Soon we will not be holding their hands — our future will be in their hands.
** UK Government All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Diversity & Inclusion in STEM. (2020). Diversity and inclusion in STEM: A report for UK Government.
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