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The accelerator

Applications for our next accelerator cohort open in JULY for those start-ups who are preparing to pitch for investment at the pre-seed or seed level. We will help you tell your story and build your pitch in a way that showcases your product, team and ethos. The 4-month programme culminates with a pitch event to a panel of angel investors and early-stage VCs.

Programme

Grounded in academic research and learnings from successful women entrepreneurs, our curriculum has been vetted by investors and tested with female founders like you. Workshops cover such topics as:

  • Storytelling

  • Planning for growth

  • Managing finance (operational and capital)

  • Product-market fit

  • Compelling key messaging

  • Preparing your pitch and pitch deck

  • Sales mindset

  • Company culture and hiring

  • Using research evidence

  • Negotiating and contracting

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Benefits

  • A hybrid programme of 15 workshops delivered by experienced professionals who are leaders in their fields.

  • A community of your peers that is nurtured through a cohort What's App group and weekly virtual coffee meet-ups.

  • Three events connecting investors to founders, including a final pitch event in front of a panel of investors.

  • Free membership in the Breakthrough Labs online community, connecting you to additional learning, mentoring and networking with women and experts outside the accelerator (>£300 value).

  • Free services and/or valuable discounts from partners on products and services that start-ups need.

  • Continued engagement with Breakthrough Labs through our alumni network after your programme ends.

Cost

Participation in the accelerator is free of charge, but we take a 1.5% equity stake in all start-ups in the cohort, and a nominal fee if you secure investment as a result of our connections to investors.​

Eligibility

If your start-up meets these criteria for entry, you are eligible to apply:

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  • Founded or co-founded by women

  • Have a viable technology product or service in any sector

  • Have fewer than 40 employees

  • Be preparing to pitch for funding at pre-seed or seed level

  • Have a product prototype or MVP, at a minimum

  • Be S/EIS eligible

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