Getting pitch perfect: Meet the 14 founders on Virgin startup’s new angel investment accelerator programme
Not-for-profit, Virgin StartUp, has announced the 14 ambitious British business founders that will join its new ‘get investment ready’ accelerator programme, which launches this week to help start-ups supercharge their first angel investment round.
Selected from more than 320 applicants, the final cohort includes businesses specialising in AI technology, social media, healthcare, fashion, food & drink wellbeing, dating and sport; all hoping to shake up their sector with innovative new ideas that will capture investors’ attention.
For seven weeks, the founders will work with experts, angel investors and Virgin StartUp’s Scale-Up team to gain valuable insight into how the angel investment landscape works, including how to find and approach investors, what investors are looking for, how to become more investable, and how to deliver a strong investment pitch. They will even practice their pitches with real investors to get feedback on how to improve and become pitch perfect.
The programme will culminate in a demo day where all the founders will pitch in front of a live audience.
Last year, the founders that took part in Virgin StartUp’s investment readiness programme went on to raise more than £2.9million in investment.
Andy Fishburn, Managing Director at Virgin StartUp, comments: “Many new business founders are new to the world of investment which means they are unsure where to start and are left guessing as to what investors want to see from a pitch. Virgin StartUp’s new angel accelerator programme combines all the best bits from our scale-up programmes to help demystify the angel investment process. We are really looking forward to helping these founders develop the skills, confidence, contacts and networks to grow their businesses and thrive.”
Jaron Soh, Founder of Voda technologies, comments: “More so than ever, it’s a difficult landscape to fundraise in. We’ve joined the Virgin Startup Angel Accelerator to learn from established entrepreneurs, investors and network with fellow founders.”
At the end of the programme, the founders will be assigned a dedicated mentor and be invited to join Virgin StartUp’s community of new business founders. Virgin StartUp is in its tenth year of supporting founders and has built a community of thousands of founders who use the network to connect with each other, get advice and access free business resources.
The full list of businesses on Virgin StartUp’s angel accelerator is:
Shu Da Living: Footwear that is relaxed, comfortable, affordable, and environmentally considerate.
Lovedoc: A new dating app designed not only for singles, but also to help couples develop a deeper connection through interactive games, books, date night offers and special occasions.
EventsX: A personalised AI-driven virtual and metaverse events platform combined with marketplace for businesses looking to enhance their virtual events
Parcours Velo Ltd: High-performance carbon fibre bicycle wheels. Parcours Velo wants to make aerodynamic wheels more affordable and is rapidly becoming a leading wheel brand for professional triathletes.
Stress Matters: A B corp which uses both an agency model and tech to make workplace wellbeing easy for SMEs.
Luhv Drinks: Functional and delicious products that combine the strength of nature with cutting-edge scientific research to support a healthy lifestyle.
LuvBuckets: A virtual time capsule to preserve love and legacies by allowing users to stay forever connected with friends and loved ones, not only throughout life, but for generations to come.
Niyo Hair and Beauty: Quality hair care products, routines and technology for black and ethnic minority women.
Manas.AI: Simple and intuitive AI solutions for businesses with no coding required. Manas.ai provides AI that is easy to use, quick to build, powerful and affordable for businesses.
Voda Technologies: LGBTQIA+ mental wellness app designed by leading psychotherapists.
Kind Regards London: A womenswear brand that is re-imagining workwear for a hybrid world.
The Tora Collective: A new outdoor social networking platform of the future, using theatre and game-based tactics to re-engage people with their surroundings and alleviate loneliness.
RemedyRX: Integrated digital front door technology to support chronic disease patients.
Just Access: Accurate and affordable transcriptions powered by AI for technical sectors such as legal, education, business and beyond.
For more information about Virgin StartUp, visit www.virginstartup.org
