The Startup Accelerator is dead, long live Accelerator the 2nd!
by Startacus Admin
Bold vision often results in big change. Step forward UK accelerator Ignite who last week announced major changes to their startup accelerator programme and overall model of working. We fast-forwarded over the major details…
Ignite announced on Friday that they were tearing up the accelerator programme rule book to launch Ignite 2.0. With a new model, Ignite are aiming to work with the best founders, and the best companies, wherever they are based in the UK.
In comes…Rolling Applications, with Ignite investing in 2–4 companies each month, rather than doing 3 batches a year.
In comes… a Distributed Programme, with a more objective driven process lasting 3/6/12 months which each month will bring together companies on the programme for a two day offsite set of workshops focused on sales, marketing, operations and recruitment. Crucially, these off-sites will take place in a different city each month -hooray!
In comes - Funding Flexibility, with two options available to startups joining the programme, one involving investment + the programme, and one with reduced equity loss and just the programme facilitation and no 
investment.
Flexibility seems to be the key here.
Their new model is aimed at allowing Ignite to work with the best founders, and the best companies, wherever they are based in the UK. The ambition is that over the next 12 months Ignite will invest in at least 30 companies, of which 80% will be outside London and the South East. Hooray! Removing that barrier of needing to live / move or relocate to the ‘Accelerator’ location, which can be for some, a barrier they cannot move.
There’s loads of more stuff we could write about here, but we’ll let the Ignite team explain, Head on over to this blog announcement via Ignite CEO Tristan Watson to read all the details on the whats, whys and whens.
We wish the Ignite team well with this bold move - there’s loads of good stuff to consider here, and whilst this experimental approach may need to be further refined, we think Ignite should be celebrated for wanting to improve the Accelerator model, and fundamentally, how well they can and do, support startups and their growth via their programmes.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Insights from a discussion with Speedinvest, Amplifier, La Famiglia and Redstone, four of Europe’s leading early stage venture funds, on current VC funding for female founders and what changes are needed
Carverter is an online platform that’s on a mission to help us all to switch to greener cars sooner, by providing independent advice and comparisons in one handy place
Effective branding should reflect your business and what you're about - this advice and these tips will help you ensure that it does just that
The FreelanceHER 100 accelerator programme launches to empower Manchester-based women working in digital, creative, media and technology to meet their business needs and growth ambitions
The innovative car management app, Caura releases a new insurance product to help reduce the cost and time taken to insure a car
The innovative Spanish startup on a mission to help us have a greener future by disrupting how we can source electricity from nature
.jpeg)
If you're considering starting up an online business, here are a few of the key ways that you can intensify what you do to sell more
If your business is going to survive, here are some of the key areas where compliance is essential and where negligence could cost you...
.jpeg)
5 tips on how businesses can successfully set up their website to convert customers to a sale for the all-important upcoming Black Friday
Justin Nihiser, CEO of kids coding specialist, Code Ninjas, is about to discuss, there are multiple advantages to starting a business later in life
Published on: 16th May 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Top VCs discuss whether the pitch process is failing female entrepreneurs 26th Nov 2020 Insights from a discussion with Speedinvest, Amplifier, La Famiglia and Redstone, four of Europe’s leading early stage venture funds, on current VC funding for female founders and what changes are needed
- IN4.0 with The Landing launches accelerator to inspire and empower female freelancers 24th Nov 2020 The FreelanceHER 100 accelerator programme launches to empower Manchester-based women working in digital, creative, media and technology to meet their business needs and growth ambitions
- New report reveals British business owners are craving financial control 19th Nov 2020 The lowdown on Cash Flow Revolution, the new report from Asto, outlining the key issues currently being faced by small businss owners in the UK
- Beauty company run by entrepreneurial teen supports #BeautyBacked campaign 16th Nov 2020 The 14-year old entrepreneur who started a beauty business this year and is now supporting the #BeautyBacked campaign to help those adversely affected by the latest lockdown
