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Specialist expertise
Work done by students who study the subject your problem sits in: data analysis, modelling, research and technical desk work.
Specialist project work for companies
Exceptional talent,
on your next project.
Cambridge students with deep expertise in the subject your problem sits in. Scoped in 48 hours, at a fixed price, and paid only if it meets the brief.
Expertise you can switch on for one project.
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Exceptional talent
Cambridge undergraduates and researchers, matched to your project by subject, not pulled from a general pool.
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On demand
Starts when you need it. No term cycle to wait for and no recruiting round. Scoped within 48 hours.
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Fixed price, upfront
Agreed before anything starts, with no negotiation. You pay only if the work meets the brief.
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Paid, so accountable
Every student is paid for the work, with a named owner and a deadline.
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No hire needed
Their expertise for one project. No recruitment, no HR, nothing to manage afterwards.
Why Cambridge students
Deep in their subject. Used to hard problems.
The people who take on your project are studying exactly the thing your problem sits in, and they are trained to work through it closely and quickly.
Open as its own page →01
Taught in small groups
Cambridge teaching pairs lectures with small-group supervisions, so students are used to defending their thinking to an expert, week after week.
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Specialists, not generalists
We match the subject to your problem. A forecasting model goes to a statistician; a literature review goes to someone who studies that biology.
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Already doing applied work
Computer scientists take part in group projects with external companies. Master’s-level mathematicians, biologists and engineers run their own research projects.
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Motivated by real work
Every student is paid, with a named owner and a deadline. It is paid work in their own field, so it counts for them as much as for you.
What that looks like on a project
Computer science
Prototype a feature, build a data pipeline, evaluate a model.
Mathematics
Forecast demand, design an A/B test, build a pricing model.
Biological sciences
Review the literature on a target, re-analyse public data.
Economics
Size a market, model unit economics, analyse sales data.
The bar they cleared to get in.
1 in 6
applicants got a place at Cambridge: 3,632 of 22,153
University of Cambridge admissions statistics, 2024 cycle
1 in 13
for Computer Science: 141 places for 1,863 applicants
University of Cambridge admissions statistics, 2024 cycle
94.7%
of accepted UK applicants had A*AA or better at A level
University of Cambridge admissions statistics, 2024 cycle
89%
of graduates who responded were in work or further study within 15 months
Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2022/23 graduates (40% responded), as published by the University
In the same year, 5,617 applicants who went on to get A*AA or better still didn’t get a place.
These figures describe Cambridge applicants and graduates as a whole, not Brieflab students in particular.
To be clear
Students are not registered professionals, so we don’t give legal, clinical or financial sign-off.
Brieflab is an independent service, not affiliated with or endorsed by the University of Cambridge.
Projects
What students can take on.
Desk-based and computational work, done remotely by Cambridge students who study the subject. Here is the kind of project that fits, by subject.
Open as its own page →01
Computer science & AI
- A working prototype or feature, built from a spec
- A data pipeline and dashboard
- Training or evaluating an ML model on your data
- Code review and a security review
Typically: Second- to fourth-year computer scientists and MPhil students
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Maths & statistics
- Forecasting and demand models
- A/B test design and analysis
- Pricing and optimisation models
- A review of your statistical methods
Typically: Third-year and Part III (master’s-level) mathematicians
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Economics & finance
- Market sizing and unit economics
- Pricing or demand analysis on your sales data
- Financial models and valuation sense-checks
- Industry reports
Typically: Economists in their second and third years
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Natural sciences
- Literature and target-validation reviews
- Re-analysis of public omics data
- Drug-class and clinical-trial landscapes
- Scientific due diligence
Typically: Biochemistry, genetics, systems and computational biology students
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Engineering
- CAD and component design checks
- Stress and simulation reports
- Embedded firmware and signal processing
- Test plans and design reviews
Typically: Second- to fourth-year engineers
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Business research
- Competitor and pricing benchmarks
- Customer interview programmes
- UK and Europe market-entry briefs
- Marketing and operations reviews
Typically: Management Studies, social sciences and Land Economy students
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Languages
- Translation and localisation
- English polishing of decks and papers
- In-language competitor and social scans
- Bilingual pitch-deck review
Typically: Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and Modern Languages students
What we don’t take on
Lab or bench work
Students work from data and desk research, not in a lab.
Regulated advice
No legal, clinical or financial sign-off. Research memos, yes.
Personal or patient data
We work from public sources or anonymised samples you choose to share.
How it works
From brief to delivered work.
Five steps, one named owner, and a fixed price agreed before anything starts.
Open as its own page →- 1
Send a brief
Five short questions, about two minutes. Tell us the problem in your own words, the subject it sits in and when you need it.
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We scope it
Within 48 hours you get a one-page Scope of Work: who will do it, what you get, what it won’t include, the timeline and a fixed price.
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Kick-off call
Thirty minutes by video to confirm the brief. We sign your NDA first if you need one, and agree what data, if any, you’ll share.
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The work
A paid specialist does the work, usually over about 10 working days, scheduled around their term. You get updates as it goes, and we review everything before it reaches you.
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Approve and pay
You pay once the work meets the brief. If it doesn’t, we revise it at no cost. The work, and any code, becomes yours on payment.
What we need from you
A clear problem
In your own words is fine. We’ll turn it into a scope.
One kick-off call
Thirty minutes to confirm the brief.
Data, if needed
Public sources or anonymised samples. Never personal or patient data.
A quick review
You check the work against the brief before you pay.
FAQs
Questions worth asking.
Straight answers on who does the work, what it costs and what happens if it isn’t right.
Open as its own page →The people
Who does the work?
A Cambridge undergraduate or researcher who studies the subject your problem sits in. You’ll know who before anything starts.
How do you choose the student?
We match by subject and by the specific problem, confirm they are available, and review the work before it reaches you.
Can we keep working with them?
Yes. If it goes well, they can take on another project, and if you’d like something longer we can talk about it.
Price and timing
How much does it cost?
A fixed price per project, set in the Scope of Work once we understand the problem. It is agreed before anything starts, with no hourly billing.
What if the work doesn’t meet the brief?
We revise it at no cost. If it still doesn’t meet the brief, you don’t pay.
How fast can you start?
We scope it within 48 hours and start as soon as you agree. Most projects take about 10 working days, scheduled around the student’s term.
Data and ownership
Is the work confidential?
Yes. We sign your NDA on request, before you share anything non-public.
What data will you need?
Usually public sources or an anonymised sample you choose to share. We never ask for personal or patient data.
Who owns the work?
You do, on payment, including any code.
About Brieflab
What won’t you take on?
Lab or bench work, regulated advice (legal, clinical or financial sign-off) and anything needing personal data.
Are you part of the University of Cambridge?
No. Brieflab is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the University.