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.
.png)
WeWALK, RNIB, and ICL consortium secures UKRI funding to improve mobility for visually impaired and elderly.
The impact of standards, ethics and conduct on business success and profits - Work.Life has some interesting insights...
.png)
The lowdown on Space32 - the startup that wants to help hybrid-working businesses find the working space and solution that's right for them.
.png)
Global Tech for Good initiative seeks innovative startups and scaleups that are creating positive social impact and enhancing people's lives through tech.
The lowdown on Bidnamic, the startup that's combining advance machine learning with human expertise to help retailers to maximise revenue and profitability from Google Shopping.
Innovative Czech fintech startup 4Trans raises investment to expand first of its type AI driven factoring services across Europe.
Edinburgh-based life science company Cytomos secures funding to support further development of its innovative cell analysis tech.
Ethical Equity and Streets Consulting join forces to deliver Founder Workshop to help close the inequality gap in startup to scaleup funding.
Fancy being featured in this year’s SmallBiz100, which showcases the best of Britain’s vibrant small business community? There's just a couple of days left to do just that!
Screenloop secures major investment to support further development of its AI-driven recruitment platform that helps companies build the best teams and removes unconscious bias.
Published on: 16th May 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Assistive technology innovators and partners awarded £1.7m project funding 1st Jul 2022 WeWALK, RNIB, and ICL consortium secures UKRI funding to improve mobility for visually impaired and elderly.
- How the pandemic affected each industry 27th Jun 2022 New research from School of Marketing reveals the impact that Covid-19 has had on key business sectors in the UK.
- The Finalists of DBACE 2022 are revealed 21st Jun 2022 The lowdown on the innovative young visionaries that are in the running for this year's Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs.
- OKAPI: Orbits raises €5.5m for Breakthrough Space Traffic Management Software 13th Jun 2022 Innovative German SaaS startup OKAPI:Orbits secures investment to support its mission of securing efficient and safe operations in space.
