Investment Readiness Accelerator
January 2025
Raising investment as a woman is hard.
The standard playbook for raising money doesn't work for us.
We have to do it differently.
Join our 8-week accelerator program,
designed for pre-seed & seed stage founders.
Created for women founders, by women founders who have successfully built, raised and exited businesses.
When women founders get less than 3% of Investment
You need a strategy to put you in that 3%
We're as frustrated with the stats as you are.
That's why we want to equip you with a rock-solid pitch, plus the tactics and know-how to help you succeed.
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So that when you get in front of investors, you are confident and project authority and credibility.
What you get from the Program
Pitch deck & script
Your pitch is the single most important part of your fundraise materials.​
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It's an art form (and almost impossible to do well yourself).
We'll craft a compelling pitch deck and script with you. Highlighting all the best bits of your business and teaching you how to answer those tricky questions.
1:1 Mentor support
You will be assigned a mentor for the duration of the program for weekly 1:1 calls.
Your mentor is your coach, cheerleader and Hive mind.
They will work with you on your pitch materials, help you hone your business plan, and answer any questions you have about the investment process.
Business deep-dive
No startup is perfect. We know your business has gaps or areas where it's not so strong.
That's totally normal.
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We'll do a deep-dive with you, to help you identify those gaps. Maybe you need some advisors to bolster your team, or some additional proof points on your traction.
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We'll explain what investors will expect to see, and help you plug the gaps, so your business looks like a good bet.
Investment process
We'll explain how to run a fundraising round & the tactics you need to know as a woman founder.
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Covering:
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outreach emails to investors
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getting warm introductions
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how to run an investor meeting
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dealing with prevention questions
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creating momentum & competitive tension
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closing your round
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Expert advice
We host group calls with experts (and provide resources) to support you in building a picture of your business in exactly the way investors want to see it.
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Sample sessions include:
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Financial Models & Valuations​
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Product Management
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The Investor View
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Go-To-Market Strategy
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Intellectual Property
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Share Options
Pitch practice
& Demo Day
At the end of the program, there's the opportunity to participate in our Demo Day, where you'll pitch live to an audience of investors and ecosystem partners.
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To get you ready, you'll get 3 pitch practice sessions with the whole cohort.
Where the program mentors and your peers will give you feedback to help you improve your pitch.
Our last Demo Day at Google in London had 300+ attendees!
Don't just take it from us,
hear what Founders from previous Cohorts say!
Meet your EXPERT Squad
Your mentors are women who have successfully raised investment. Plus we've hand-picked experts who know how to distill years of wisdom into crystal clear action points. To propel you forward.
Felicia Meyerowitz-Singh
Andrea Sommer
Caroline Hughes
Some of the Partners in our network
Our Investor Network
Program Fees
Our fees are aligned with your success!
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We are so confident that you'll be able to close that we defer the bulk of our fees until after your raise closes!
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Everything is included: all accelerator content, expert sessions and 1:1 mentorship, introductions and fundraising support
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We do not take any equity!
Equity is your most valuable asset and we encourage you to think very carefully about who you give it to!
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Our fees are split into two stages:
Upfront (Pre-Funding)
£1000 ($1200)
+ VAT (if UK registered)
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50% deposit + 50% halfway
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In two installments so it's gentle on your cash flow when funds are tight
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Deferred (Post-Funding)
3% of raise
+ VAT (if UK registered)
Due within 14 days of your round closing
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For US businesses, we charge a flat fee:
Pre-Seed £14K ($17.6K)
Seed: £29K ($36.5K)
If you decide not to fundraise, you don't owe us anything.
If you don't close within 24 months, you also don't owe us anything.
Need to know more?
FAQ
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I just missed the current cohort closing date, can I still get in?Yes, potentially if you are quick! If you apply after the deadline, your application will get tagged and we'll still review it. Depending on when we receive it (i.e. how long after the closing date), we'll get in touch with you to discuss either joining the current cohort or joining the next cohort.
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Is the program in-person or virtualThe program is virtual, so you can join from anywhere in the world. We sometimes host in-person events (including a hybrid in-person/virtual demo day) in London but most people (including most investors) attend virtually.
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Can I bring my co-founder?You are welcome to bring your female/non-binary co-founder to participate in the program (max. 1 extra person per company). One of you will be the primary team member, so you need to decide in advance who that will be. If you have a mixed co-founding team, we are happy for you to share what you learn on the Program with your team, but we ask that only you attend the calls and mentoring sessions.
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What stage businesses can join the program?Your business needs to be at: ✅ pre-seed stage (where you have an MVP already launched / imminently launching / well fleshed out), or ✅ seed stage (where you have a product in market with some traction) If you're a concept stage business we recommend checking out our Zero to Launch Accelerator to help you get to MVP in 9 weeks. https://www.hivefounders.net/zero-to-launch-accelerator
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What if I have already started fundrasing?That's totally fine! Many founders who join the accelerator have already started fundraising! Many have even raised some funding (a typical amount is between 15-30% of their rounds). Even founders who have raised before or have had some traction in their current raise found the accelerator to be transformative!
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What if I can't close my round?We are confident you will be in a much better position to close your round after our accelerator. However, if you are unsuccessful in closing your round within 24 months of completing the accelerator, we will waive the 'post funding' fees.
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How many businesses are accepted per cohort?Due to the hands on format of the accelerator, we only accept between 10-20 businesses into each cohort.
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What does the program syllabus cover?Every cohort is a little different but we typically include sessions on: Anatomy of a Pitch Deck Valuations & Value Creation Drivers Cap Tables Share Options Early Stage Planning Growth & Sales Go-To-Market Strategy The Investor View - Angels The Investor View - VCs Managing the Investment Process Data Room And much more!
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Is it worth applying early?Yes! We accept applicants on a rolling basis so apply as early as possible to avoid missing out!
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How much does the program cost?We are so confident that you'll be able to successfully close that we defer the bulk of our fees until after you successfully raise. If you do not raise within 24 months of graduating you do not owe us the deferred fees. Our fees are split into two parts: 1. Pre-Funding (at the time of the accelerator) - $1200 (£1000) paid in two installments (50% deposit, 50% halfway through the accelerator) - this is designed to be gentle on cash flow when funds are tight 2. Post-Funding (after you close your funding round) - 3% of raise amount, deferred until 14 days after you close Please note that for US businesses, we charge a flat fee: Pre-Seed (have not raised any investment before): £14K ($17.6) Seed (have raised before from Angels, Friends & Family, Family Offices, CVCs or VCs): £29K ($36.5K) We do not take any equity! Equity is your most precious resource so we recommend holding on to it as much as possible!
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What happens if I decide not to fundraise?If after the accelerator you decide not to fundraise, you do not owe us the second part of the fee. The fee only applies if you fundraise in the next 24 months.
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What is the time commitment?You'll need to commit at least three hours per week for 8 weeks. We've designed the program to fit around you running your business. So you'll book calls with your mentor at a time that suits you both. Group calls are held at times that work for both US and UK (and if you miss a call, you can catch up on the replay). Most of our founders tell us that the 8 weeks flies by and they wish they could spend longer with us!
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Is the accelerator open to businesses outside the UK?Yes! The virtual format of the accelerator means you can join from anywhere in the world. We've had founders attend (and successfully raise) from across the world, from Australia, through the US, UK, Europe and the Middle East.