Call for applications to join the Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator
Applications are now open for the next Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator, a key initiative of the Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP). The ten-week, fully online programme will run from Tuesday, 30th September 2025 to Friday, 12th December 2025, offering targeted support to high-growth entrepreneurs across Wales.
The accelerator is built for people with strong business ideas who want to take their concept to market and scale at pace. Through weekly webinars, focused masterclasses and one-to-one sessions with experienced coaches, participants build a resilient business model, secure their first paying customers and learn how AI tools can shorten research time and improve efficiency.
Structured networking connects founders with peers, potential investors and sector specialists, while media activity helps them raise their public profile. Together, these elements shorten the distance between idea and revenue and open up routes to new markets.
Applicants must live in Wales and present a pre-revenue idea capable of reaching £1 million annual turnover, creating at least ten full-time jobs and exporting by 2029.
AGP can provide practical support and funding to remove barriers that might otherwise limit participation.
Richard Morris, Programme Director, AGP, said:
“Our Start-Up Accelerator is about turning aspiration into action. Over ten intensive weeks, we guide participants through a clear framework, testing demand, refining their offer, and signing that all-important first customer. This programme ensures that Welsh entrepreneurs are well-equipped to thrive in an increasingly competitive market by embracing AI and other innovative techniques. I am excited to see the next wave of Welsh entrepreneurs emerge from this programme.”
Andrea Jones, a previous participant and winner of the Accelerator Champion Award in 2024, highlighted the impact the programme had on her business:
“The Start-Up Accelerator transformed my idea into a market-ready venture. The mentorship and collaborative environment gave me the clarity and confidence to develop VisVira into a growing business. Taking part in the accelerator was a game-changer, helping me turn my vision into actionable results.”
Richard Selby, Chair of the Institute of Directors Wales and judge for the accelerator awards, added:
“Good ideas need structure, challenge and the right connections. The Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator supplies all three. It allows founders to test assumptions, learn from people who have built companies before and meet investors who understand early growth risk. That combination strengthens both the businesses and the wider Welsh economy.”
Applications for the Start-Up Accelerator must be submitted by Monday, 25th August 2025.
Aspiring entrepreneurs interested in participating can register their interest by clicking the link below:https://events.newable.co.uk/events/13/start-up-accelerator- september-2025?lang=en
