West Midland digital start-ups sought for accelerator programme
DIGITAL companies in the West Midlands can secure money, mentors and access to markets by applying to join a new accelerator programme.
Collider13, which targets the region’s newest B2B start-ups, has been organised by Pembridge Partnership and Creative England and supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund. It aims to partner start-ups with established brands to demonstrate how digital technology of new businesses can solve problems faced by established brands.
Leading brands partnering with Collider13 include Bauer Media, BBC Worldwide, CBS Outdoor, Unilever and William Hill.
The Collider13 programme provides start-ups with £100,000 funding in a mix of loan and equity, mentoring for a year, access to brands, access to office space and technology testing facilities and a focus on companies in the West Midlands.
Linking up with such firms gives start-ups access to the latest technology to accelerate their marketing, the potential to create a product exclusively for the brand, mentoring entrepreneurs of the future and the opportunity to widen their contacts by interacting with experts in a range of industries.
Investors in Collider13 have access to a pipeline of future investment opportunities and guaranteed loan funding – all start-ups being Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) eligible and first option to follow investment to future rounds.
The application process is already open via www.f6.com/collider13 and start-ups have until Thursday, November 7 to register.
The previous programme, Collider12, resulted in seven companies gaining commercial deals, four companies raising follow-on funding, and the creation of 39 jobs.
Rose Lewis, founder and director of Collider, said: “The 2012 programme surpassed our expectation and we secured follow-on investment in three start-ups, drawing in new investors as well. The formula of brands working with start-ups was immensely powerful for both parties.
“We’re expecting to deepen and broaden the investor, brand and adviser relationships we had with Collider12 into Collider13 – the format works well and the niche is focused and well defined. Collider12 has turned out to be productive for all parties and we will continue with this model with Collider13.”
Jim Farmery, Creative England’s Director of Business Investment, said: “Creative England is delighted to launch Collider13 and I’m looking forward again to seeing what fascinating technologies and products we see from the teams that take part this year.
“We are leveraging significant private sector investment of £600,000 against our Regional Growth Fund investment of £400,000, and we also looking to create and safeguard almost 70 jobs.”
