Are you ready to take your venture to the next level?
Join our 12-month programme of support to grow your venture, develop as a founder and supercharge your network.
Could you create a fairer healthcare system? Reimagine education? Transform the way we work, travel and communicate? Or leverage technology to create a more sustainable future? Change like this starts with someone like you.
We welcome ambitious founders who are committed to changing the status quo for the better. Have a bold and brilliant solution to a widespread and pressing problem? We want to hear from you!
The King's Start-up Accelerator (formerly King's20 Accelerator) supports ventures on a mission to create impact at scale. Since 2016, we've supported over 160 ventures and 300+ founders. Collectively they have gone on to raise over £106 million in revenue, over £107 million in investment, over £10 million in grants, as well as employing over 1,300 people. Check out the King's ventures in our digital portfolio.
Join a community of founders driven to make a difference
Our community is at the heart of the accelerator. Fellow founders will hold you accountable, positively challenge you, connect you to their networks and support you when the journey gets tough!
Working alongside other ventures going through a similar experience is truly valuable. Founders are more likely to achieve long-term success, when they're surrounded by people with whom they can share their learnings and accomplishments with.
My co-founder and I wouldn't have been able to get this far without the 'culture of nurture' at the Entrepreneurship Institute. It's one thing to teach people how to scale, which is common amongst other accelerators, but here the focus on resilience, peer-to-peer support and guidance both personally and professionally has been immense.
Dr Bhavagaya Bakshi, Co-founder of C the Signs
What's on offer?
Grow your venture
- Deep dive workshops led by our Experts-in-Residence on topics including lean methodology, growth marketing, communications, sales and branding with follow-on challenge sprints, implementing your knowledge to your venture.
- Access to 1:1 Experts-in-Residence who will challenge your thinking and offer operational advice.
- Access to office space for up to three team members in our central London co-working space in Bush House, Aldwych.
- Practical workshops on start-up finance, workflow, negotiation and more.
Develop as a founder
- 1:1 coaching led by your priorities
- Peer accountability and learnings in small founder-led groups
- Founder-focused group sessions on topics like decision-making and overcoming limiting beliefs
- Weekly planning and focus work sessions
Fundraising support
- Dedicated fundraising support from our in-house Investor Relations Manager
- Curated engagements with King's Investor Network
- Funding workshops on topics including investor relationships, funding options, negotiation, deals process and grant applications.
Supercharge your network
- Facilitated events and socials to grow your network
- Access a community of diverse founders
- Gain a strong network of industry, investor and founder contacts
King's Start-up Accelerator provides a vast network of investors, alumni and specialists, both in residence and externally. It's an exciting place to be and I think it's close to unparalleled.
Harry Geisler, co-founder and CEO of YAVA
The chance to tap into King’s Investor Network is incredibly appealing. It’s not just about finding funding but connecting with people who genuinely understand and support what we’re trying to build. The programme’s emphasis on building connections and working closely with other entrepreneurs creates an environment where ideas can flourish and partnerships can form organically. The collaborative atmosphere encourages us to share experiences, tackle challenges together, and celebrate successes as a team.
Marcia Holst, Leonardo Vizioli and Jasper Döninghaus, co-founders of CarbonTag
Entry requirements
- Open to all King's College London students, staff and alumni
- Founding teams are required to fully own the intellectual property (IP)
- Applicants must have validated the problem they are looking to solve
Programme dates
- February 2025: Applications open
- March - April 2025: Shortlisting and interviews
- Mid-June 2025: King's Start-up Accelerator commences
Sign-up to receive updates about King's Start-up Accelerator.
We launched our platform Blitzo in the first month of joining the Accelerator. Our first customer was a fellow founder. Four months in we have 4X our customer base and signed our first business-to-business partnership deals.
Sundar Arvind and Arjun Khanna, co-founders of Blitzo
King's MedTech Accelerator
If you're a King's member of staff or a researcher, and have a venture that is related to medical devices and healthcare technologies, check out the King's MedTech Accelerator.