Accelerators such as Techstars (which runs Africa-focused cohorts), Y Combinator, Endeavor, Norrsken and local programmes invest a fixed amount for a small equity stake and put founders through an intensive programme. They are ideal for technology-enabled businesses with a large market; they are not a fit for a single-location shop.
What they screen for
- Team — two or three founders with complementary skills and the ability to build the product themselves
- Traction — users, revenue or growth rate; even small numbers that move week on week
- Market size — a problem shared by millions, framed honestly (TAM/SAM/SOM)
- Clarity — can you explain the business in two sentences?
- Speed — what you shipped in the last month
The application
Most forms ask for a one-line description, the problem, what you have built, metrics, how you make money, competition, the team and a short video. Keep it specific and numeric. Avoid buzzwords; “AI-powered” is not a moat, a growing retention curve is.
Preparing your pack
Build a 12-slide deck with the Pitch Deck option in GrantPilot, score it, and prepare founder CVs with the CV builder. Browse accelerators currently accepting applications on the accelerators page and investor programmes on the investors page.
Put this into practice
Search verified opportunities, score your plan and get deadline reminders — free to start.