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Our START Programme

Each of our portfolio companies is enrolled into our unique and innovative 'START' venture-building programme. Our programme has been carefully created and is regularly refreshed based on portfolio-company feedback, to make sure we continue to provide early-stage companies and their founders with the support and resources they need to fast-track the translation of their innovative science into successful commercial ventures.

What the programme entails

  • Achieve

    Weekly time with members of the team through their first six months, to ensure companies stay on track, hit key milestones and have support on hand when it’s most needed. 

  • Focus

    Sessions with industry leading partners and collaborators across a variety of sectors to provide advice, help and guidance on a range of relevant topics.

  • Support

    Deep dives ensure that companies are properly supported and have access to the resources that they need when they need them

  • Analysis

    Each company benefits from a gap analysis to ensure that support is tailored for their specific needs

  • Community

    Access to alumni events, social meet ups and gatherings with external parties to help develop the networks of our entrepreneurs, industry and commercial partners and the community

How our programme is run

The Start Codon programme operates on a recurring cycle with our entrepreneurs being enrolled into the programme upon joining us.

As part of the programme, we run regular sessions with our partners, team and collaborators on key topics that have been specially selected to provide the maximum benefit, help and guidance to our companies and their exceptional founders. These topics include team building and people strategy, intellectual property, go-to-market strategy, experimental design, marketing, fundraising, accountancy, key legal issues, general operations and contract negotiation.

Our portfolio companies also benefit from access to an extensive network of hand-picked mentors and experienced entrepreneurs from across a variety of fields, who are interested in devoting their time, knowledge and connections to help our portfolio companies stay on track and raise their next round of financing.

We also provide the ability for our companies and their founders to grow their networks by running sessions with our trusted VCs, business angels and pharma and biotech partners.

Other benefits of our programme

Portfolio companies will receive:

  • Focus A minimum of six months of training, guidance and close support and followed by a period of lighter ongoing support from our dedicated team
  • Focus Regular meetings with our experienced management team, mentors, and external parties to develop a robust business plan, polish their pitch and prime for their next round of fundraising
  • Focus Specialist talent and people support and advice, including the ability to connect with leading c-suite executives, to help plan and implement an effective and scalable people strategy
  • Focus Favourable rates and/or pro bono support from a broad range of local, national and international partners and collaborators, including CROs, legal and accountancy firms, insurance brokers and banks
  • Focus The opportunity feature in our Innovation Showcases and pitch to potential investors and partners, including business angels, VCs, biotech and pharma
  • Focus Opportunities to meet investment syndication partners and follow-on VCs
  • Target Invites to networking events and opportunities to present to external pharma and other industry contacts, to help develop networks and drive forward and secure commercial deals and future fundraisings

Our Sponsors

With thanks to our Programme/Portfolio sponsors for their support:

  • Venner Shipley
  • Taylor Wessing
  • PEM

Get in touch

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