START UP Founderships
An intensive, six-month business pre-accelerator for ambitious new business founders.
START UP Founderships
Adapted to the needs of you and your business, Founderships includes:
- one-to-one coaching and mentoring
- skills development
- access to influential partnerships
- a £7,500 living stipend
- up to £10,000 in equity-free grant funding
- co-working space at Floe in Newcastle city centre
The 2023-2024 programme is now underway. The next programme is not yet open for applications.
What is a business accelerator?
Business pre-accelerators and accelerators are intensive packages of support. They involve coaching and mentorship, skills development and financial support.
A pre-accelerator is for business opportunities that are in development or recently launched. They help you to establish your business. An accelerator is for established businesses, known as 'seed-stage'. They help you raise investment and scale up your business venture.
How can Founderships help me?
We bring in experienced entrepreneurs to deliver Founderships. They will help you to:
- strengthen and advance your business opportunity
- become a resilient leader who thinks big
- solve big problems for big markets
Our Founderships alumni have progressed onto competitive business accelerators. One also appeared on the TV show Dragon’s Den.
Am I eligible for Founderships?
START UP Founderships is open to new and recent graduates. Final-year students who will graduate by the programme start date can apply. Graduates from the past two years can also apply.
- you must own the intellectual property for your business
- your business opportunity must be in the UK
- you must be willing to stay or move to the North East and work on your business full-time
- if you're not from the UK, you must have the right visa permission to register a business
What important details do I need to know?
- Founderships are competitive and we can only award a limited number each year
- teams can apply but a Newcastle University graduate must be a co-founder
- you will need to have an interview and pitch to a selection panel if you apply
- Founderships is not currently open for applications