Leicester Startups has opened applications for its ninth accelerator cohort, running from 17 September to 11 December 2026.
The 12-week programme offers founders a structured mix of workshops, roundtables, mentoring and free co-working space at Canopy, alongside full access to the Funding Hero platform. Topics covered include customer development, revenue modelling, product market fit, lead generation, fundraising and pitching, building towards a Demo Day in front of investors and experienced entrepreneurs.
Workshops run every Monday, with roundtables every Friday, and the programme opens with an in-person induction on Thursday 17 September. Applicants need a working prototype or MVP, ideally with active users, and must be based in the East Midlands with a registered company. The programme isn’t suitable for freelance, consultancy, agency or lifestyle businesses.
There’s no separate fee for the accelerator, though participants are required to join Leicester Startups’ Incubator for the duration at £60 + VAT per month.
Applications close at 12pm on Wednesday 3 September, with successful founders announced by 9 September.
Anyone with questions can email accelerator@leicesterstartups.com or contact Sam Larke directly 07794 601005