Founder programmes, from first idea to first raise
Two cohort programmes, built for founders by founders. Start with New Ideas to shape your idea and test it, then join SEIS in 12 Weeks when you are ready to raise. Every cohort is online, with content, peer support and expert support from our In Residence team.
One pathway through your startup journey
In 2027 we plan to run two New Ideas cohorts and two SEIS cohorts, with each New Ideas cohort leading into the SEIS cohort that follows it.
New Ideas
Go from problem to idea, solo to team, dream to MVP and concept to pitch in four weeks.
SEIS in 12 Weeks
Get investor ready, then approach investors with the support of your cohort and our experts.
Raise and grow
Graduates can move on to Canopy Capital, Virtual Incubation and our scale up community.
Get ready for your first raise of up to £250K
A 100% virtual investment readiness programme for SEIS-eligible UK startups. It helps you prepare for a raise and make sense of the feedback you get when you approach investors. It is ideal if you have early customer validation and are ready to start investor conversations.
Weekly self-paced content: taking stock and your data room, matching with investors, SEIS funder insights and founder insights.
An investor ready check against our checklist: data room, digital footprint, investor profile and storytelling.
Approach investors alongside your cohort, with an accountability partner and support from our experts.
What you get
- A 12-week investment readiness curriculum you can fit around your week
- Weekly live cohort sessions for accountability and practical guidance
- Weekly sessions with our In Residence team of experienced founders, operators and investors
- Interviews with founders who have raised SEIS investment, and behind-the-scenes conversations with SEIS fund analysts and angel investors
- Fundraising frameworks, due diligence checklists and investor ready templates
- Introductions to investors and our Funder and Founder events once you are investor ready
Places on our current cohort are free, thanks to sponsorship from Equisy. No programme can guarantee investment, and nor should it. We focus on improving your odds.
Turn your idea into something real in four weeks
Our entry point for new founders, with a focus on under 25s and female founders. Work through the programme at your own pace, with a weekly group coaching call to keep you moving. It is a pathway into Virtual Incubation and SEIS in 12 Weeks.
List your ideas, find the problem worth solving and define your ideal customer.
Audit your skills and work out who you need around you.
Plan a 30-day test-and-learn MVP, using AI and no-code tools.
Tell your story in four slides and leave with a 90-day plan.
New Ideas grew out of our Ideation programme, the same tasks used by the student founders on the UNiDAYS x StudentVenture accelerator below.
Rated by the founders who took part
In 2026 we delivered the UNiDAYS x StudentVenture Student Startup Accelerator for 100 student founders. This is what they told us at the end of the programme.
I'm proud to have completed the program with uni commitments, work commitments and family commitments also thrown into the mix. I'm proud that I have brought my children along this journey with me.
I was blown away by the amount of value stored and passed on from those who I have had sessions with from the In Residence team, all for free. Simply put, people would pay good money for this.
What stood out most was the programme’s flexibility and the team’s proactive willingness to help founders – that combination made it practical to test ideas quickly and get timely, actionable support.
It has helped me focus on my startup and bring it to a point which is investable and ready to scale.
I actually do feel a little bit proud of myself and I don't really feel proud of myself for many things.
The sequence of tasks made me think like a founder, not just a developer.
From our SEIS in 12 Weeks founders
Many thanks for running the 12 week SEIS course. It was extremely useful and very much appreciated. The videos, lessons and checklists were fantastic and being able to bounce ideas off yourself and others in the cohort was invaluable.
Ready to join the next cohort?
Applications are open for both programmes. Questions first? Get in touch.