Apply for a Breakthrough Bursary to accelerate your tech business

Applications for the 2020 Breakthrough Bursary are now closed, please check back again for news on the 2021 Bursary.

Are you a BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) founder with an existing tech business with customers and a team? SETsquared Bristol’s incubation programme can fast track your growth and help you retain your existing company culture.

Or, are you a first-time entrepreneur from a BAME background? We can help you answer the difficult questions and avoid common mistakes while you ready your product for market.

SETsquared Bristol has re-launched its Breakthrough Bursary, which covers 75% of Residential Startup Membership (£52.50 inc VAT per month, instead of £210 inc VAT) ) available for up to one year, an initiative kindly funded by SETsquared Alumni Members.

What you get:

Bespoke business support for your needs

Business advice and coaching from our experienced Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Mentoring from experienced business leaders, SETsquared Alumni and Advisor-in-Residence clinics with professional service firms

Support with raising investment and finance

Skills and training

A full programme of skills and training workshops, forums and peer-led focus groups

Support in the entrepreneurial community

Desk in a shared office at Engine Shed alongside a supportive co-working community and network of potential partners

Access to SETsquared events including networking and investment showcases

PR including representation on our website, newsletters and social media

Discounted rates on a range of useful business software

What we're looking for:

Are you a tech entrepreneur from a BAME background?

Are you developing an original idea for a technology business?

Do you have an incorporated business?

Do you have the ambition for business growth and financial success?

Can you commit at a minimum of 2 days a week to developing the business?

Are you open and receptive to support and advice?

Glyn Blaize, Founder of NORTHSTAR

“The Breakthrough Bursary has been a great support and brilliant treasure trove for NORTHSTAR. Whether attending a seminar, to prepping for investment there is support for every step of the startup scaleup journey. I particularly loved the sessions with the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, which I often found challenging but always helpful and providing clarity.”

Jaya Chakrabarty MBE, CEO of TISC report.org

"As a social enterprise the biggest value for me was the business review panel. Interrogating our business case and enabling me to refine my pitch has helped me up my game to the next level. Thank you SETsquared!"

Silas Adekunle, CEO of Reach Robotics

"SETsquared were integral to the start of Reach Robotics. Start-ups aren't born in isolation - incubators provide the support, connections and guidance that are absolutely invaluable to getting a tech business off the ground. SETsquared also opened the door to a fantastic community of businesses that we are proud to be part of."

Azir Razzak, Founder of A2Z Technologies

“Being around other people going through the same journey is one of the many benefits of SETsquared membership. When based in the shared office, I really enjoyed the shared problem solving, its one aspect of my job that I really love and was able to do that for others.”

SETsquared Bristol is proud be part of our city’s diverse communities, but there is a lack of BAME representation in Bristol’s tech ecosystem. We are committed to working towards fairer representation of under-represented groups, and are particularly encouraging women of colour to apply as part of this Bursary callout.

Bristol is the most productive tech sector in the UK, and we want to support more BAME led tech companies to be part of the movement and access the best support to propel your business to success. In 2019, SETsquared increased each of our businesses, on average, by over £130K in value, which they linked directly to receiving our business support.

For more information read our research into increasing gender and BAME representation in the incubator.

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