9 Best Startup Accelerators and Incubators in London
Last Updated: By TRUiC Team
In the bustling city of London, the startup scene has been both vibrant and dynamic over the years. The city's reputation as a key global financial and business capital gives it the perfect backdrop for innovative and ambitious entrepreneurs to grow their startup companies. It's no surprise that London is home to a wide range of unique accelerators and incubators each with its unique approach to nurturing and helping grow startups.
Accelerators and incubators in the UK's capital city provide much needed resources such as mentorship, office space, access to industry networks, financial backing, and in-depth workshops. Their main goal is to give entrepreneurs the tools they need to successfully launch and scale their businesses in a competitive marketplace.
Let's look closer at some of the best startup accelerators and incubators that London has to offer.
Recommended: Learn how to launch your own company by reading our comprehensive guide on how to start a startup.
Startup Incubators and Accelerator Programs in London
London has become a vibrant hub brimming with accelerators and incubators. These organizations are creating and building up promising entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and network needed to transform their innovative ideas into successful ventures. Ultimately, we can look at them as growth catalysts that are nurturing startups from the ground up.
In this section we’re going to dive into some of the best startup incubators and accelerator programs within London. Let’s dive into the list!
We also recommend exploring our main list of the best startup accelerators.
1. Hatch Enterprise
Launched in 2014, Hatch Enterprise gives support services to help founders with the journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Their tools and services include exclusive events, hands-on seminars, and individual consultations aimed at leveling the playing field. With an impressive track record, they've assisted over 7,800 UK founders through their programs since they started. Imparting practical, actionable advice to founders, Hatch Enterprise takes a unique approach to support entrepreneurship when compared to the competition.
The emphasis on diversity and inclusivity is quite apparent in Hatch Enterprise's strategy. More than 80% of founders in their long-term support programs are women or identify as women. In addition more than 60% of founders in these programs come from an ethnic minority background. The key goal here is to provide equal opportunities for all entrepreneurs and ensure everyone has a chance at building successful business ventures.
2. StateZero Labs
StateZero Labs is a blockchain lab striving to help businesses thrive in the digital economy. The lab's leadership includes blockchain expert Ellis Nash, whose insights and expertise offer valuable guidance for navigating the complexities that come with the adoption of blockchain technology. StateZero Labs provides research, educational resources, and case studies to arm businesses with blockchain knowledge.
With a unique blend of innovation and practicality, StateZero Labs positions itself as a partner for startups as they work to stay afloat in a competitive market. Their mission goes beyond just the realm of technology and focuses on creating a robust foundation for companies to succeed in the digital economy. To push along this transition, the lab not only gives its clients expertise and support on blockchain technology, but also provides resources meant to enable businesses to adapt to the evolving digital landscape.
3. Comfort Click
Since its inception, Comfort Click has been investing in and supporting small to medium businesses. They are aware of the challenges new businesses face such as cash flow issues and lack of infrastructure, which is why they aim to provide support not just financially, but also in the areas of office space, technology, and manpower. Their state-of-the-art offices are available for startups to take advantage of.
Comfort Click's management team is well versed and experienced, capable of mentoring entrepreneurs to help them become successful leaders. Ultimately it’s clear that they are positioned to help take businesses to the "next step" and become the "next big thing." Their focus appears to be on providing comprehensive support and mentorship to help startups and small businesses succeed and scale.
4. CyLon Ventures
CyLon Ventures is a leading early =-stage investor focused on security technologies. They provide access to their unique network and sector expertise to portfolio companies, helping them reach early customers and build strategic relationships. CyLon was an early investor in successful security companies like Immersive Labs and Tessian.
CyLon stands out by using its own capital for investments which allows them to be more founder aligned as compared to traditional VC funds. Their management style is hands-on with a particular interest in early-stage founders building the "security technologies of the future." They carefully align their timelines and priorities with the needs of their portfolio companies. With such a dedicated approach, they position themselves as a top specialized investor in the security and resilience sector.
5. Entrepreneur First
Entrepreneur First (EF) is a talent investing program that identifies and nurtures individuals with the potential to build impactful startups. The program is full time and on site since this setting is perfect for rapid team building and business development. Participants get access to a network of experienced founders, investors, and mentors.
The program helps participants find co-founders and develop ideas. The EF program also acknowledges the pivotal role of founders in building impactful companies, hence their focus is on identifying and nurturing individuals with enormous potential and a drive for impact.
6. Founders Factory
Founders Factory is a venture studio and startup accelerator that “co-founds” new companies along with exceptional entrepreneurs. They provide funding, support, and access to industry-leading corporations.
Their communal ethos at Founders Factory involves embracing uncertainty while remaining decisive. They prioritize suggesting solutions over simply identifying problems, adding to their dynamic and proactive approach. Founders Factory also highly values diversity as a strengthening factor for collective intelligence. With a keen interest in launching new ventures in partnership with entrepreneurs, they offer an early-stage program to help startups grow.
7. Activate Studio
Activate Studio is a hub for creativity and innovation that helps startups in developing successful digital products. They leverage their expertise in business, design, and technology to refine business models, test value propositions, and create product roadmaps. With a culture rooted and based on creative thinking, Activate provides mentorship, pitch feedback, and investment proposition analysis to a select few founders each year.
Portfolio companies can receive up to £50K in match funding after presenting to the investment committee. Activate helps founders in identifying weak points and developing investment plans, alongside offering help with the fundraising strategy and product vision. After funding, technical expertise is provided to support product scaling, infrastructure, and security. Activate tailors their investment plan to each unique startup's needs and employs a dedicated product and tech team to assist in launching the startup's product to the market.
8. Seedcamp
Seedcamp was founded in 2007 based on the belief that exceptional talent can come from anywhere. They try to consistently be a close, experienced, and well-connected co-founder for the companies they invest in. Their core mission is to democratize access to fast-moving technologies and services by supporting exceptional founders.
Seedcamp has built an impressive portfolio spanning multiple sectors and geographies, including 9 unicorns. After over 15 years in the business, they are proud of the "Seedcamp Nation" as a reflection of entrepreneurial excellence. With their track record, Seedcamp continues to nurture and support the dreams of innovators, solidifying its place as a leading force in the global startup ecosystem.
9. Bethnal Green Ventures
Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV) offers a Tech for Good Program that provides £60,000 investment to assist founders in launching their early stage ventures. The BGV Platform offers ongoing support including curated resources, partner discounts, workshops, and community events. BGV looks for founders building solutions to pressing challenges like the climate crisis, inequality, and health.
BGV has a fair application process accessible to founders without a prior fundraising round. They score a world class net promoter score of 86 out of 100 from their portfolio companies. A strong mentor network of over 50 individuals supports their portfolio companies, while they also offer a range of resources including newsletters, events, expert guides, Slack channels, and meetups to all.
