One of the most popular methods used to identify high-growth potential startups is to find out if they have gone through an accelerator program. This is especially true if we only consider programs that validate the ambition of startups and their growth prospects, regardless of other factors involved in the selection process.
Accelerators are managed by corporate bodies, and they provide support to businesses that are perceived to have high-growth potential. Backing up a promising organization improves the reputation of the accelerator and provides a valuable opportunity for participating startups to connect with high-profile contacts from the accelerator.
A startup accelerator is an intensive personal and startup development program that offers support to a small team of founders, usually having an innovative business idea of their own. The program offers some amount of capital, mentorship, and affordable office areas. In essence, a business accelerator program has the following core ingredients:
- A focus on teams (in most cases) rather than individual founders
- An application system that welcomes all but is super competitive
- Provision of pre-seed funding in exchange for single-digit equity.
- A limited time involving intensive mentoring and programmed events
- The final event when startups pitch their business ideas to obtain their first major investment.
It is also relevant to note that startup accelerators are ultimately investment management organizations, proven by their search for and investments in early-stage startups with high-growth potential. With this in mind, let’s see the top 10 accelerators in one of the major economies of Europe and the world, the United Kingdom.
Startupbootcamp
Startupbootcamp is a global network of industry-focused business accelerators that provides investment and mentorship services. They facilitate this mentorship-driven model by delivering startups with essential tools during a 3-month accelerator program. The organization provides six months of co-working space, €15,000 towards accommodation expenses for the team during the program, over €450,000 in sponsored services, and the platform to pitch to over 400 investors at Investor Demo Day.
Highlights
Founders: Aldo de Jong, Alex Farcet, Carsten Kolbek, Patrick Zeeuw, and Ruud Hendriks
Date of Incorporation: 2010
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 538
Seedcamp
Seedcamp is an investment platform that searches for and invests in world-class startups that attack large, global markets and solve real issues using technology. The company follows up on a startup’s mission and builds value through speedy access to a lifelong society of support, smart capital, and a global network built upon over a decade’s experience backing excellent talent. They have more than 360 startups building breakout corporations that change the way people live and interact and include world-class unicorns like UiPath and unicorns like Revolut, TransferWise, and Hopin, as well as fast-growing startups such as Grover, wefox, Viz.ai Trussle, and Sorare.
Highlights
Founders: Reshma Sohoni and Saul Klein
Date of Incorporation: May 1, 2007
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 388
Entrepreneur First
Entrepreneur First is a startup builder that invests in individuals, pre-team, pre-idea to help develop new technology startups. The accelerator selects purely based on technical talent, so entrepreneurs can apply before having an idea or a team. Their intensive 6-month program is designed to provide the best possible support in the first 200 days of a business’s life. They have built more than 300 startups now worth over $3bn. Entrepreneur First is funded by top industry investors like Index Ventures, Y Combinator, and Octopus Ventures.
Highlights
Founders: Alice Bentinck, and Matt Clifford
Date of Incorporation: September 1, 2011
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 239
Bethnal Green Ventures
Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) is a leading European early-stage VC in tech. BGV invests in promising, ambitious teams using technology to tackle emerging environmental and social problems, helping them launch and scale their startups through their flagship “Tech for Good” program and offering opportunities for long-term support and funding. Since 2012, they have invested in more than 120 startups, of which over half are still active, taking on 15 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and successfully mixing profit with purpose.
Highlights
Founder: Paul Miller
Date of Incorporation: 2012
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 164
Barclays Accelerator (powered by Techstars)
Powered by Techstars, Barclays accelerator is a 13-week program operated by a full-time, dedicated Techstars team specializing in FinTech. At this time, startups will work intensely on core challenges faced by the banking industry. Successful applicants will get a seed investment from Techstars, an optional convertible note from Techstars, and a network of high-profile mentors.
Highlights
Founders: Chris Adelsbach, Greg Rogers, Jenny Fielding, Kester Keating, Liron Rose, and Yossi Hasson
Date of Incorporation: 2013
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 119
Techstars London Accelerators
Techstars London Accelerator is an investment platform that focuses on a wide range of tech startups. Home to an international community of innovators, investors, tech, and founders. Businesses are flocking to London to kick-off their business and learn from the incredible mentor society there.
Highlights
Founders: Brad Feld, David Brown, David Cohen, and Jared Polis
Date of Incorporation: August 1, 2006
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 108
Founders Factory
Founders Factory is a world-leading business accelerator and venture studio, collaborating with the world’s top founders and executives to create, invest in, and scale ambitious businesses globally. They have a goal to shortcut and de-risk building and scaling technology startups; by combining veteran operational support, capital, and access to world-class executives.
Highlights
Founders: Brent Hoberman, George Northcott, Henry Lane Fox, and Jim Meyerlelis
Date of Incorporation: June 16, 2015
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 191
CyLon
CyLon is a world-leading cybersecurity investment platform and accelerator. From telecoms to financial services, defense to retail, and digital industries to health services, safeguarding information through solid and scalable cybersecurity has become critical to a safe and efficient economy. Their program provides founders all the coaching required to develop and grow a successful cybersecurity startup.
Highlights
Founders: Alex van Someren, Grace Cassy, Jonathan Luff
Date of Incorporation: 2015
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 66
Collider
Collider is supercharging startups and accelerating brands dedicated to marketing and advertising tech startups. It is an accelerator dedicated to MadTech (marketing and advertising tech) startups, who help brands and agencies better search out, understand, engage with and sell to their customers. Collider invests capital in these startups, coaches them through a highly structured program, and connects them to potential investors and executive customers. They aim to help these startups become sustainable, rapidly growing companies as soon as possible.
Highlights
Founders: Andy Tait, David Prais, Ellen Bark-Lindhout, Mark Adams, Rose Lewis
Date of Incorporation: 2012
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 76
Property Innovation Labs (Pi Labs)
Pi Labs is a forerunner and the most active PropTech VC in Europe, having built a portfolio of over 50 organizations worldwide since its official kick-off six years ago. The accelerator is devoted to supporting the next generation of PropTech founders by investing in pre-seed to series A early-stage startups that are shaping the future of the modern world. This goal has made Pi Labs invest in several leading PropTech organizations, including HubbleHQ, Landtech, OfficeApp, and more. The company also operates a world-renowned annual accelerator program developed specifically for a carefully selected pool of PropTech startups solving the property sector’s most pressing problems.
Highlights
Founders: Dominic Wilson, Faisal Butt, and Mary Criebardis
Date of Incorporation: 2015
Headquarters: London, England, United Kingdom
Number of Investments: 53
For more extensive analysis and Market Intelligence reports feel free to approach us or visit our website: Venture Capital Market Intelligence Reports | VCBay.
We try our best to fact check and bring the best, well-researched and non-plagiarized content to you. Please let us know
-if there are any discrepancies in any of our published stories,
-how we can improve,
-what stories you would like us to cover and what information you are looking for, in the comments section below or through our contact form! We look forward to your feedback and thank you for stopping by!
Next Article
