Business incubators and accelerators, the birth places of many start-ups and – once small – successful companies.
If you’re about to start a business of your own, want to meet like-minded entrepreneurs, or just get inspired by the vibe of enthusiastic visionaries, then you definitely have to visit one of these places.
For a purpose of this article, I have collected a staggering list of 30 accelerators in London. Who are they, what makes them interesting, why is it worth to join them? It’s all here for your convenience.
As 30 is quite a lot to process, grab yourself a solid pot of tea and have an inspiring read.
London Accelerators and Business Incubators
1. Bathtub 2 Boardroom
Bathtub 2 Boardroom is a small charity coworking space with affordable fees, offering mentor talks, business advice, and supportive community. Their catchy name promotes the idea of making eureka moment ideas a reality.
2. Incube
Based on the founders’ experiences with co-working spaces, Incube offers a possibility to turn any real estate asset into a community space. With their space-as-a-service (SPaaS) offering, they can adjust their client’s spaces into creative hubs.
3. Activate
At Activate, a digital start-up studio, you will find help with crafting a digital strategy, learn important entrepreneurial lessons, and prepare to raise money for your idea.
4. Hatch Enterprise
Hatch Enterprise offers diverse founders and social entrepreneurs the resources for their businesses to become financially sustainable. Hatch offers 3 types of business programmes for enterprises at different stages LaunchPad, Incubator, Accelerator. They provide founders with mentoring and coaching sessions with experts.
5. StateZero Labs
StateZero Labs is “the world’s first solution-led Blockchain Lab for startups”. Their thirteen weeks long programme teaches entrepreneurs how to tackle growth challenges, refine investor pitch, or acquire customers.
6. Launch22
Launch22 is a charity incubator with two beautiful workspaces in London, offering entrepreneurs incubator and scholarship programmes that help them take off a business. Great for start-ups seeking early stage support.
7. Entrepreneur First
Entrepreneur First is where you can get support and funding for your idea. They target individuals willing to start a business, with a strong focus on tech start-ups. With 200+ companies, worth a combined $1.5bn, that already trusted EF, their programme is certainly worth considering.
8. Seedcamp
Looking for support to find product market fit, meet with mentors, get help with evaluating your business idea? Seedcamp helps companies at the earliest stage. With Revolut, Trussle, and wefox in their portfolio, they sure are a good place to start.
9. Techstars London
Techstars London is an accelerator sharing the idea of inclusion, helping underrepresented communities to grow a business through innovation. Their three-month mentorship and financial support have already helped 1900 companies.
10. Oxygen Accelerator
Oxygen Accelerator is a well-established tech accelerator, offering start-ups 13-week programme and an investment of €21,000. During the mentor-led bootcamp, you will have a chance to join a network of like-minded tech entrepreneurs, share knowledge, and use collaborative office space.
11. Accelerator Academy
At Accelerator Academy, you will take a 12-week course that will get you through the arcane of market research, sales and marketing, team building, legal and financial readiness, and more. It's a training that every entrepreneur should consider.
12. Bethnal Green Ventures
Is solving big social and environmental problems a goal of your start-up? Then BGV is probably a VC you should consider. They help early-stage tech start-ups grow, making social and environmental impact at the same time.
13. Comfort Click
Comfort Click is a company offering other budding entrepreneurs a possibility to grow through business incubation and angel or seed investment. Learning from their experience – they have grown internationally – you will get to know the business basics, join networking activities, and more.
14. Founders Factory
Founders Factory’s strength lies in their investors, including easyJet, The Guardian, and AVIVA, providing start-ups with valuable data access, market insights, and relationships – to name just a few.
15. CyLon
CyLon is quite a unique programme hub, focused on security businesses. From developing market-fit to raising investment, CyLon supported a portfolio of companies now valued at more than £400m.
16. The Bakery
And now for something completely different – The Bakery helps corporation re-invent the way they scale and seek innovation, helping them to adapt and unlock the power of transformational opportunities.
17. Makerversity
Creative businesses looking for a space to grow will find their place at the Makerversity – a community offering access to studio desk space, workshops and machines. Are you under 25? Then you can even get yourslef a free desk!
18. Enterprise Hub
If you want to build a high-growth engineering and technology company, then certainly you should check this hub. Enterprise Hub’s mission is to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges with technology, offering funding and training to like-minded engineers.
19. Accelerator London
Accelerator London is a London Metropolitan University accelerator, offering students and start-ups a space with hot desks and an access to the community, support programmes, and events. Turn your idea into viable venture.
20. True
True focuses on retail start-ups and established companies, providing them with investment and partnership opportunities. If you’re looking for a space to grow, their London hub will give you access to a desk and sector specialists.
21. Imperial Incubator
Imperial White City Incubator is worth considering especially if you’re a science start-up, and that’s because of their 12 offices and 10 laboratories! Get support and training you need in the space created for deep science companies.
22. UCL Innovation & Enterprise
From idea to life-changing innovations, UCL supports their students, staff, and businesses in turning knowledge into thriving enterprises making a positive impact.
23. Level39
Cybersecurity, FinTech, and Retail Tech entrepreneurs may find like-minded peers in Level39 community, gathering 1,250 leaders from such industries. With an access to customers, talents, and infrastructure, Level39 helps companies build billion-dollars businesses.
24. Startupbootcamp FinTech London
Are you about to scale your FinTech start-up? Then this London accelerator should be on your shortlist. Startupbootcamp FinTech London helps FinTech companies grow by providing them with mentorship, office space, and networking activities focused on the financial industry.
25. Sussex Innovation Croydon
Affordable office space and proactive community is what you can count on choosing Sussex Innovation Centre in Croydon, the 'Silicon Valley of South London'. If you want to start or scale-up your start-up, check Sussex Innovation Centre.
26. Geovation
Geovation is a community of location-data and proptech collaborators, changing the real estate industry. Since their inception, they supported over 1,500 entrepreneurs, investors, developers, academics, students and corporate innovators.
27. Pi Labs
Proptech, or property tech, is a fast-growing niche, re-shaping real estate industry. If you’re in this niche, or want to give it a shot, Pi Labs are a proptech VC to consider, and will help you with bringing innovative ideas to the industry.
28. JLAB
When it comes to retail, there are still plenty of possibilities of making a change and stand-out with creative ideas. If you’re one of these start-ups, looking to shake the retail industry, JLAB is a space and a network you seek.
29. Distill Ventures
Distill Ventures are the world's first independent drinks accelerator, created to support entrepreneurs willing to start their business in the drink industry. Join them for investment, networking, and expertise opportunities.
30. Grocery Accelerator
Ambitious food & drinks businesses may use valuable expertise and investment from Grocery Accelerator, helping companies from their portfolio secure seed funding and grow. Their results? the portfolio growing an average 300% in valuations.
Summary
This for sure is not a complete list of London accelerators, business incubators, and Vcs, but it surely is a place to start.
Whether you’re in the retail, food & drinks, proptech, or FinTech industry, I hope you will find a suitable offer and grow your venture successfully.
