Get up to £100k to fund your startup from the Collider accelerator

Collider is looking for the very best startups to join our next accelerator programme. We exist to shape the future of marketing and sales technology, and with over five years' experience, we know this space like the back of our hands. Get funded by the Collider Accelerator and apply today.

What's on offer

Cash We offer two levels of investment – £35,000 net (£50,000 in total) for early stage companies, and £70,000 net (£100,000 in total) for later stage (companies with some proof of value with commercial traction or prior fundraising). All of our investment comes directly from angels with incredible industry specific experience.

Coaching A three month programme and lifetime support to help you scale with speed.

Connections Meet the leaders in this industry, including the most relevant, senior team members from top corporates.

Community Our startups, scaleups, corporates, investors and mentors become your community too.

https://vimeo.com/234639816

What we're looking for

• Marketing and sales technology that's B2B focussed - that's B2B or B2B2C technology that helps corporates find, understand, engage, sell to or retain customers

• Early stage businesses with an MVP or later stage businesses with some proof of value - be that commercial traction or prior fundraising. We invest in startups with SEIS or EIS

• Impressive teams with personality - with a minimum of two co-founders.

Apply now!

5 Ways To Increase Your Chances Of Getting Into The Collider Accelerator

In fact, this works for VC’s, angels and new clients too. So, if you’ve got an incredible business, we want to hear about it, and we want to remember you above the rest. You can apply right here.

1. Get a warm introduction.

Have a read about the people who work at Collider – stalk us, it’s okay. Have a nosey on Linkedin and see if you have any connections in common, and get yourself an introduction. If nothing turns up here, have a look through Crunchbase or Angel List and see if you know anyone we’re associated with – perhaps an investor or an alumni startup? If you’re in the industry, it’s likely you’ll be connected to someone, just do your homework.

2. Come meet us.

We’re always at industry events, whether that’s at a booth, on a panel or offering mentoring sessions, and we also offer office hours. We’ll be impressed if you really go out of your way to get in contact with us.

3. Have a top notch application.

There are quite a few websites around to help you structure your ideas, presentation, one pagers, business canvas and to find and calculate the size of the market, among other things. Here’s a good one, and another, and another.

4. READ the application form.

Your time is precious, so make sure your idea fits what we’re looking for – a B2B solution to help corporates find, understand, engage with, retain and sell more to consumers. You’d be surprised how many applications we have that are in a completely different space. Spray and pray does not work here.

5. Be clear and concise.

Ask someone to read your application and explain the following to you:

• Problem you are solving and to whom • Size of the market and its opportunity • Traction and progress so far • Team (current investors, board members, advisors, etc) • Your unfair, competitive advantage • Go to market strategy

If they can explain the above, you are in the right path. If not, you will need to work more in your proposal.

Get Legal Wise: The Startup Basics In Setting Up Your Business

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There's this expectation in the world of startups that you're just supposed to know what you're doing. Running the business, finding the talent, getting investment, sourcing loyal customers, and of course, tackling the legal mind field like a boss. But in reality – and the very reason we have co-founders to pick up on those skills we just don't have – we're not going to be pros at everything.

That's exactly why we've teamed up with our good friends at Lewis Silkin to answer some of those tricky business, investment and legal questions we all want to know the answer to, but might be afraid to ask.

Check out our first instalment below, where we delve into setting up your business as a corporation, equity battles, options and employment contracts.

If you've got further questions you'd like us to find the answers to, drop us an email at info@collider.io and we'll see what we can do!

Not just another startup/scaleup mentor network

As a startup, being part of Collider doesn't just stop at the programme. It's what we like to call a life long relationship, where we don't just reappear in your inbox every once in a while informing you of 10% off [insert startup offer here].

But really, this is important. There's all too much investment and no guidance, or an abundance of sickly, textbook sales training that leaves startups stuck on a cycle of "they loved me!" moving onto "but why hasn't it converted?" out there. That's not good enough for us, and certainly not good enough for our incredible startups.

Making the relationship count between accelerator and startup

It has to count – to make a difference and to really nurture the relationship, and sometimes, that means seeking advice elsewhere.

So what better people to go to than some of the brightest names in MadTech, including Sarah Wood, Anu Shah, Zaid Al-Zaidy, Rod Banner, Marion Barnard, Richard Fearn and Frank Kelcz – the exact list that joined us as part of our Scaleup Mentor Network last Friday.

https://twitter.com/RodBanner/status/862976298393772033

Not just another mentoring scheme

We believe the UK has a huge opportunity to build the next generation of companies in marketing and advertising that can make a global impact. Yes, that does mean the next unicorn.

And that's why we created the Scaleup Mentor Network, and also why it's different from everything else.

We invite only the very best names from the MadTech entrepreneurial world, VCs and agencies and the very best, most successful, rapidly growing Collider startups.

This time, we were joined by alumni Beem, LivingLens, Seenit, CampaignAmp and Pixoneye, and is also where we jotted down this incredible quote, comparing startup life to that of a child.

Collider Mentor Network Sarah Wood Seenit

Extended support

We also had the folks from Microsoft Bizspark join us, who brought along Ella Cockerell – expert in enterprise and with years of incredible sales experience. As we continue to develop our relationship with the Microsoft folk, our startups were left super pleased with having a new face in the room, and the added support Ella brought.

Collider Scaleup Mentor Network

The Mad World of MadTech: April Roundup

MadTech has many verticals, with April proving just that, going down as a month of awesome coverage, impressive awards and enviable partnerships. Check out our top four updates from the Collider alumni.

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1. Good-Loop's Amy named by BBC as an ‘entrepreneur women using tech for good’

Not only did Amy impress our audience on Demo Day, she's now stunned the BBC thanks to her inspiring storing on why she decided to fund her startup.

Shocked by the huge existent inequality between countries and with a background in advertising, Amy decided to try and make the world a better place using adtech. Good-Loop aims to make a real positive impact by rewarding viewers of video ads with donations to their chosen charities.

Such a great example to follow! Read more here.

2. Emily from Seenit wins Entrepreneur Award from ‘10 Digital Ladies’

Our very own class of ’14 alum are making us proud again!

This time Seenit Founder and CEO, Emily Forbes, was a main guest at the event run at google HQ celebrating women who have successfully launched their own digital business. And not only that, but she ended up being crowned the Entrepreneur Award winner of the year.

From a background in film production and with almost no digital experience, Emily has built into a £1.1m business in just three years.

Big congrats to you Emily! Read more here.

3. LivingLens partner with world leader in experience management

The new product LivingLens and Qualtrics are releasing together will allow organisations to form a better customer understanding, giving them the ability to tell their stories and share feedback, all thanks to LivingLens' rich video content ability.

Read more here.

4. Sonovate name Pixoneye as ones to watch

The Pixoneye team have been spotted on the '50 Fastest Growing Companies in the UK' list by Sonovate. Congrats!