North East entrepreneurs sought for new Ignite Accelerator in Newcastle

by Startacus Admin

Ignite returns to Newcastle, home to its inaugural accelerator programme, to launch a 3-month funded, pre-accelerator programme for up to 20 early-stage businesses.

Founded in Newcastle in 2011, Ignite has been investing in and supporting entrepreneurs and startups around the UK ever since, accelerating over 130 startups, historically investing in 25+ companies each year, and mentoring and supporting hundreds more.

Looking to further encourage the tech ecosystem in both Newcastle and across the NE region, the new North East pre-accelerator will be an intensive 3-month full-time programme. It will aim to help founders and entrepreneurs to develop their business idea, understand the steps they need to take an MVP to launch, acquire their first customers and if needed, help the businesses become investment-ready too.

The pre-accelerator programme will includes:

• £10,000 net investment (structured as a convertible loan)
• 3 month course covering product development, marketing, sales, operations, hiring and fundraising
• Mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs, mentors and investors
• 3 months of office space in Newcastle (with the potential for discounts post-programme)
• A fast-track to the final interviews of next Ignite accelerator programme (in the following year).

What are Ignite looking for?

With the programme based in office space in central Newcastle, Ignite are seeking North East England (County Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear) based and trading entrepreneurs, who want to solve, or are already solving real-world problems with innovative technology-led ideas.

It will be led by two previous Ignite participants and alumni, namely Gabriela Matic, who co-founded brain-health related app MindMate and Wil Benton, co-founder of live streaming DJ community, Chew. In the mix of all the innovative ideas they receive, they would be particularly keen to speak with founders hoping to work on ageing-related or data-driven issues.

Will Benton said of the Ignite NE pre-accelerator programme:

“We want to work with early-stage entrepreneurs, supporting them to come up with inspired ideas and then take the leap to become founders, like Ignite did for me in 2014, and Gabi in 2015.”

Like any pre-accelerator programme, there is some more specific criteria around employee numbers, balance sheets and turnover, however even early-stage startups and entrepreneurs are being encouraged to apply if they are based in the North-East region. 

The best businesses from the 3 month pre-accelerator will then have the opportunity to join the Ignite later-stage 6 month remote accelerator (Ignite 2.0 so to speak) which starts in early 2019  and thereby qualify for a further £25k net investment and programme support.

The Pre-accelerator programme will kick off in October 2018 and applications should be made by the 7th September to be considered - so get on it!

For further details, FAQ and to make that all important application, head on over to ignite.io

Article written in partnership and collaboration with Ignite.

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Published on: 17th August 2018