The Accelerator Programme was crucial to our 2020 successes. Since our time on the ONE x BioCity Accelerator Programme in 2019, we have been putting into practice all the lessons learned. We have seen quarterly revenue increases, and Wee are well on target to increase 2020 quarter 4 income which is great considering we have been in a pandemic for almost the entire year. A big thank you to all, it has made a massive difference and I feel much better equipped to run my business.
Wee Hemp
The Accelerator Programme encouraged me to constantly challenge my own assumptions, and to ensure that every assumption could be backed up with valid market research. By following the lean start-up methodology that the Accelerator Programme taught, it enabled me to have a clearer picture of exactly what I wanted to address, and ensure that I was focused on that goal.
Alcuris
Getting one team member out of the room is valuable for a start-up. But BioCity taught us more. We learned that getting the whole team aligned with where the company is, where it needs to be, and the assumptions on what it needs to do to get there is massively important. Having a team willing to run through brick walls, test all critical hypotheses, and all getting out of the building to build the network necessary to thrive, that is invaluable.
BioCity Accelerator Programme – Nottingham Graduate
If I had one key take away from the Accelerator Programme, it would be getting out of the building and talking to potential customers. The other big message was to surround yourself with great people; no matter how good your innovation is, you won’t know everything about getting it to market. The Accelerator Programme gives you the ability to frame your business idea in a language that resonates with investors. Becoming familiar with the principles of Lean Start-up and the Business Model Canvas were critical in securing funding for us. One memory is from the pitch that secured our VC investment; as we rolled our key words and phrases that were from the programme, heads began to nod in agreement.
Gendius
Over the 12 weeks we made huge progress in moving our business idea forward. The customer discovery was a key thing for us to test assumptions and create an evidence-based story to present to investors. Meeting on a weekly basis was intense but kept the pressure on just enough to keep momentum going. Both coaches were excellent is helping us to see the areas we needed to focus on, and the Accelerator Programme introduced us to the tools which were valuable in getting our story straight and more focused. Introductions through the expert network were also so valuable and helpful for our next stage as we continue to develop the business.
BioCity Accelerator Programme – Aberdeen Graduate
The BioCity Accelerator Programme has helped us to focus and decide on our target market and what people require. When you have such a great development team and potential, it is sometimes too easy to add unnecessary features rather than get a basic solution to market, to prove the technology. The 8 weeks has been challenging with the amount of work and customer contacts whilst “pulling in the day job” but the support and encouragement has been outstanding.
Convert Technologies
Overall I was very happy with the virtual accelerator. The coaches made sure that everyone had a chance to weigh in on discussions and make everyone feel connected, so they minimised any sense of remoteness from what was going on. I think the determination of the coaches to include everyone was vital; even when an in-person event is possible I would still consider the virtual accelerator because we had good interaction.
Io-Cyte