By Dr. Rhian Hayward, AberInnovation
For start-ups and early-stage businesses, it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the opportunities for accelerator programs and grants that can make a huge difference to their business development.
If you have already incorporated a business or are thinking of taking the plunge in the biosciences, food and drink, health, agri-tech, and all aspects of the circular economy, you should look urgently at BioAccelerate 2020.
BioAccelerate, AberInnovation’s flagship accelerator program for early-stage businesses and start-ups, across the UK, is back for its third year and seeking participants for its next cohort.
Applications are now open and close on October 14th.
Participation in the program is free of charge to successful applicants. In phase one there are two £50,000 awards and six £10,000 awards available for the strongest pitches as judged by a panel of experts in business growth on the final day.
Launched in 2018, BioAccelerate is a program of training and mentoring which helps entrepreneurs and business founders to bring the best ideas within the biosciences, healthcare, agri-tech, and food and drink sectors to market. BioAccelerate is an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs with a great idea to get the support and help they need to make their dream a reality and create the high growth businesses of tomorrow. With support from UKRI- BBSRC, AberInnovation can now give intensive and thorough investor-readiness support to start-ups in food and drink, all aspects of the circular economy, health, and agri-tech.
The tailored 13-week program blends intensive workshops with group activities and hands-on mentoring. BioAccelerate 2020’s first workshop kicks off on Wednesday 21st October 2020.
Six graduates of the program (as chosen by the panel of judges) will be invited onto the second phase of the program and given further opportunities to develop their business plans and products. This will culminate, once again, in a pitch day, this time to venture capital specialists and investors. The best two propositions will be awarded £50,000 each to help take their innovation to market.
The 2020 BioAccelerate program is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation.
Brand-new event and conference space within AberInnovation will allow BioAccelerate workshops to take place in a socially-distanced manner and the program will be delivered using a mixture of in-person and virtual methods. The program delivery will once again be led by investment-readiness specialists Nurture Ventures.
AberInnovation recently moved into its new £40.5m campus development in Aberystwyth. This has been funded by The European Regional Development Fund, through the Welsh Government; the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (part of UKRI); and Aberystwyth University.
To apply to be of this year’s BioAccelerate from AberInnovation, see here.
Dr. Rhian Hayward, MBE is CEO of Aberystwyth Innovation and Enterprise Campus (AberInnovation). AberInnovation provides world-leading facilities and expertise within the biotechnology, agri-tech, and food and drink sectors. Set in stunning scenery between the Cambrian Mountains and the Irish Sea, the £40.5m Campus offers an ideal environment for business and academic collaboration to flourish.
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