Despite the Brexit and the outburst of COVID-19 pandemia, the United Kingdom startup ecosystem is by far the largest in Europe, with a total value of $142.7 trillion and, based on the number of local investors and their level of activity, the place to seek for funding. Moreover, it’s not a secret that the UK's government especially supports tech companies and allows them to grow, enter the market, and get funded and it is reflected in the variety of programs supporting young entrepreneurs that this country has to offer.
So, let’s have a nice cup of tea and take a look at the best accelerators and incubators which make the United Kingdom such a desirable place for startups!
Techstars
Techstars is often defined as a worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed and is willing to support startups at every stage of development. The applications for the accelerator are open as many as 6 times a year and are directed to startups from various sectors, among others music, fintech, smart cities, proptech and many others as long as their teams are strong, balanced and possess a wide array of skill sets.
Each startup accepted to the program is offered a $100 000 convertible note and its living expenses are supported throughout the time of the training. In the exchange, Techstars receives 6% equity obtained as the startup receives the desired financing.
The program itself lasts for 3 months during which companies are surrounded by the best mentors and corporate partners in addition to workshops, fundraising opportunities, networking events and exchange of knowledge among community members.
Entrepreneur First
Founded in 2011, Entrepreneur First is constantly proving to be one of the best incubators and the place to find a co-founder within locations in 6 countries across the world -London, Singapore, Toronto, Bangalore, Paris and Berlin. When applying to EF you don’t have to already run a startup or have a build-up team - it is enough to have the willingness to disrupt the market and the aspiration to lead a globally important company.
EF offers a 3-month program that accepts only 10% of the applicants as it consists of 5 quite challenging steps. Firstly you need to fill in the application form and those who succeed are invited to the next step which is a Kick-off event. The third step is all about finding your co-founder and aims to create ambitious and successful teams with whom you can accelerate the idea and look for funding during step 4. Step 5, and at the same time the number one value of the program, is the community development that lasts a lifetime as it aims to connect mindsets and create relationships helpful in both, business and personal life.
If you want to find out more about this program click here for the Q&A with Philipp Herkelmann, General Manager for Germany in Entrepreneur First.
Hatch Enterprise
One of the issues that tremendously slows down the startup ecosystem is the matter of social inequality as not all of the potential founders have enough money or social capital to establish a company. Hatch is open for everybody who is brave enough to start the journey as an entrepreneur! It focuses mainly on social enterprises, young entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities and female founders.
Hatch runs four programs to develop your business idea - Launchpad, Incubator, Accelerator and Impact Business Growth Academy, so it can support teams on different levels of advancement. Launchpad lasts for 12 weeks and is addressed to those who have already defined a problem and have an idea to resolve it. This incubator is a perfect program for founders that run an early-stage startup and want to increase their business knowledge, skills and confidence. The accelerator aims to support founders who have an annual turnover of more than £50k and at least one full-time member of staff. The newest initiative created by Hatch is the Impact Business Growth Accelerator directed towards founders working 2+ years and seeking for founding.
Oxygen Accelerator
With an extreme 71% funding success rate Oxygen is a full-time program for startups on different stages of development as it offers both bootcamp and an incubator. It is mainly addressed to companies from sectors such as web 2.0, SaaS, cloud-based, mobile applications, digital games or a web service.
Bootcamp lasts for 13 weeks filled with intensive mentoring sessions, trainings, workshops and preparation for investment that comes from Oxygen Angels Investors who support teams from the very beginning of the process. Oxygen takes 8% of equity from each startup in exchange for offers up to £18 000 of pre-seed investment.
Afterwards, teams may apply to the incubation program that allows them to close the investment rounds and identify next steps of startup’s development.
Remember that in order to be a part of Oxygen you must start a company in the UK which is only possible with a valid passport with a British emblem on the cover.
CyLon
If your startup works on a cybersecurity solution then CyLon is the place to apply as it has supported more than hundred cybersecurity companies throughout the last 7 years.
Although the headquarters are based in London, CyLon runs its flag accelerating program Spark all around the world in order to stimulate the cyber security ecosystems in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It’s an innovation-driven program during which potential founders may develop entrepreneurial skills and take their first steps on the startup path, organized in collaboration with local governments in order to meet the expectations of each region individually. What is more, CyLon branch called Scale invests up to £150 000 and offers access to a wide range of corporate partners as well as other investors.
Launch22
The thing that differentiates Launch22 from other incubators is the area of focus as it mainly involves in projects connected with criminal justice, refugee welfare, disability, youth empowerment and other sectors that target individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. The 3-month acceleration program consists of workshops covering crucial subjects such as lean thinking, cash flow management, sales, marketing and many others. The goal of the Launch22 is to empower a viable startup, enhance social capital, improve participants’ confidence and prepare fresh founders to pitch like professionals in front of a crowd of investors.
Each startup gets constant support from the community that goes far beyond these 3 months allowing them to seek new investments, clients and business partners from the whole United Kingdom.
Platform-X
Designed in partnership with Virgin Trains, Platform-X seeks ready-to-scale businesses focused on improving the experience of train travel. Virgin Trains has created a list of key innovation challenges and is looking for startups willing to solve them. In exchange, it offers a demanding 5-week acceleration program with mentorship and support from experienced business leaders and free access to Virgin Trains experts and customers.
Platform-X allows founders to validate their solutions in real-life conditions and prepare their startups for entering the market.
Health Innovation Manchester
The great mission of Health Innovation Manchester is to become an international leader in accelerating innovation that transforms the health and wellbeing of each one of us.
Momentum Fund is an innovation program that supports not only the introduction and adoption of need-led, evidence-based projects into the healthcare system, but also promotes economic development and wealth creation through the growth of local businesses and jobs around Manchester.
As for now, it focuses on solutions across imagining, diagnostics, and point of care testing and looks for new ways to utilize skills across the National Health Service workforce. The program is designed to provide funding and accelerate the progress of development for products and services that are either market-ready or close to market-ready.
Accelerate ME
Accelerators around the UK are also addressed to many students just as Accelerate ME that has a mission to turn as many as possible young founders into entrepreneurs. Every student and recent alumni of The University of Manchester who have a startup idea and motivation to take it to the next level can apply to the accelerator.
During a 4-month-long program, each team receives mentorship and professional help from the university’s partners in order to speed up the development process and increase the chances of success. Moreover, it offers free of charge access to the office space at the Bonded Warehouse and do not take any equity from accepted startups.
Accelerate Me has already helped over 70 startups that have totally raised £3.5M of investment.
AWS FinTech Accelerator
The youngest accelerator in this combination is the AWS FinTech Accelerator powered by the great duo of Amazon Web Services & Vestbee, supporting Fintech startups with $100k free infrastructure credits, technical & business support, and access to a wide network of AWS clients and partners.
It is an online equity-free program for startups focused on IT solutions built in the AWS cloud with the use at the minimum of one of the AWS Services. It is mainly addressed to early-stage startups from sectors such as Open & Embedded Finance, Big Data & AIML, Blockchain & Decentralized Finance, Financial inclusion & Sustainability and other fintech-related sectors.
Throughout the 6-week acceleration period, applicants have a chance to take part in numerous workshops, mentoring sessions and networking events organized around one of the widest startup communities.
OneDay
OneDay stands out from other startup accelerators as it is the only program in the world that offers a fully accredited MBA while launching your own business. The program is headed by accomplished serial entrepreneurs who provide personalized mentorship to aspiring business owners.
On joining, you are paired with a founder in your industry who guides you throughout the program. The program also offers access to a supportive community of like-minded individuals who are on a similar journey, allowing for the exchange of ideas and learning from each other. Additionally, the program provides extensive practical content on all aspects of entrepreneurship, from business planning and strategy to marketing and sales.
Cronos Labs
Cronos Labs is shaking up the world of blockchain with its innovative accelerator program. The accelerator focuses on decentralized finance, blockchain games, and the development of the Cronos ecosystem. Now they're opening applications for their second cohort of the flagship Cronos Accelerator Program, which is backed by a staggering $100M.
Selected projects will receive $30K in upfront seed funding and 12 weeks of intensive acceleration. They'll also have the opportunity to secure up to $300,000 in additional seed funding from Cronos Labs, participate in customized master classes, and engage in fireside chats with industry experts. The program offers much more than just financial support; participants will also receive tailored benefits such as marketing and public relations support, strategic consulting, and networking opportunities with leading crypto venture capital funds.
Want to discover more accelerators and incubators from other countries? Check out the list below.
Top Accelerators and Incubators from:
- Round-up Of The Best Accelerators In The CEE Region
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- France
- Finland
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Türkiye
- Ukraine
- Western Balkans.
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Best Startup Accelerators and Incubators In Estonia (by Dorota Potępa, Community Builder, Vestbee)
Best Startup Accelerators and Incubators In Albania (by Dorota Potępa, Community Builder, Vestbee)
