The Programme
We’ll provide a selected cohort of founders with a structured 12-week programme of workshops, round tables, mentoring, free co-working space and full access to the Funding Hero platform All of this ensures a tailored mix of support to meet the unique need of each startup. We’ll help you focus on, and solve, the most critical challenges holding you back as you move through developing, shaping and scaling your business.
Throughout the programme, you’ll learn about:-
- Induction: How to get the most out of the programme, and utilise the latest AI tools
- Customer Development: Learn how to talk to customers in a way that reveals their true needs and validates your business model assumptions.
- Revenue modelling and pricing: Build a framework for how a business can generate income.
- Product Market Fit: satisfying a strong market demand —meaning customers are buying, using, and recommending it.
- Financial management: Deploying the right tech at the right time
- Lead generation: The process of filling your sales funnel with people who are interested in your business
- Sales process: Learn how to position your product, target customers, and sell your unique value proposition.
- Governance: Often ignored until the last minute or it’s too late!
- Automating processes: Doing more with AI
- Intellectual property: Patents, designs, trademarks and copyright.
- Equity & Fundraising: Learn about the different fundraising and partnering options and how to build a Pitch Deck.
- Pitching essentials: Opportunity to practise and refine your pitch with real investors
- Demo Day: Present your pitch to a panel of experienced investors and seasoned entrepreneurs.
Workshops take place every Monday 10:30am and 12pm, and the Round tables occur every Friday between 3:30pm to 5pm, The rest of the time is available for connections to mentors and product/service development. The in-person induction is 10am – 1pm on Friday 20th Sept. Please ensure you’re able to attend these sessions before applying.
Venue & Virtual
The programme will be delivered through a hybrid mix of online and in-person sessions, and we encourage you to take full advantage of the free unlimited access to our Co-working space. All the workshops will also be recorded.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for our accelerator you must fit the following criteria:-
- Working on a start-up with an innovative, scalable business model (please note this programme is not suitable for freelance, consultancy, agency or lifestyle businesses)
- A working prototype (or “Minimum Viable Product”) product/service, preferably with active users.
- Have the capability to make frequent rapid changes to your product/service during the 12-weeks of the accelerator
- Able to commit to a flexible programme involving 4 hours of attendance to the workshops and roundtables each week. We expect >80% attendance.
- Based in the East Midlands with a registered company
- Willing to share the warts-and-all progress of your business with a private group of fellow founders
Most accelerators focus on making start-ups investment-ready and this will be one of the main aims for our programme thanks to Funding Hero and our Investor Engine. However, the programme also encourages applications by “bootstrap” model businesses that are purely seeking growth rather than investment.
We believe diversity makes for more successful startups and warmly welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
If you’re not sure whether this is for you or would like further information please do drop us an email at accelerator@leicesterstartups.com, or contact Sam Larke on 07794 601005.
Application Process
To apply, please click on the application questionnaire link below and complete your response by 12pm on Wednesday 3rd September 2025
Apply Now
We will shortlist and interview eligible applicants and announce the successful participants by 9th September 2025.
Sponsors & Supporters
We’re delighted that the Leicester Startups Accelerator is being supported by British Business Bank and Funding Hero. The project was previously funded by the LLEP (Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership) and supported by the University of Leicester and De Montfort University, LCB Depot (Leicester City Council) and CASE.
