The Launch of the EP Accelerator Programme
On the late afternoon and evening of Thursday the 28th of September, we heard pitches from four entrepreneur's at Bird&Bird's London office.
We had the pleasure of hearing four very different, but all very interesting pitches. They included:
- Urayco - The active tourism platform with personalised itineraries.
- Workshop Coffee - Delivering exceptional speciality coffee experiences.
- Digital Receptionist - with Human Touch by Brinmore & Lares.
- Pulse Kitchen - Turning nature's most sustainable protein source into tasty, time-saving meal-solutions.
This evening also saw the launch of the new dedicated company, EP Accelerator, by Mike Day. EP Accelerator is a natural extension to the series of the Entrepreneur's Pitch Events that we have run over the last few years.
We are very fortunate that the position of EP in the Hospitality industry constantly guides a great pipeline of entrepreneurs to us, seeking advice and funding for their start-ups and scale up businesses. The key mission of the EP Accelerator is to provide these entrepreneur's with access to relevant funds and investors who are interested in exciting opportunities in Hospitality.
We are also passionate about helping entrepreneurs to become fully ‘pitch ready’. To us, this means ensuring they have a great value proposition, knowledge of their IP, a good sense of their competitors, an understanding of all the sources of capital, grants and investments, how to craft a business plan, and to view and analyse the difference between good and bad pitch decks. It also means being confronted with how investors might view their draft pitch document so they can amend it before it is too late.
The EP Accelerator programme involves commitment to all three, half day, in person sessions – with each programme being restricted to a maximum of seven pre-vetted entrepreneurs with non-competing products or services looking for funding. Collaboration between fellow participants is actively encouraged and is a strong and unique benefit of the programme.
Each programmes culminates in one of our regular Entrepreneur's Pitch Event to which are invited those who have successfully ‘graduated’ as ‘pitch ready’ – with the opportunity to present their product or service to specially selected investors and funds.
EP Accelerator Ltd, and the programme, is managed by serial entrepreneur Mike Day who also has at his disposal a cohort of significant industry veterans, specialists, NED’s and advisors – all part of the current EP Business in Hospitality trusted network - who will either join related sessions or be connected to programme participants as their needs are highlighted.
Following each programme and pitch event, all participants are encouraged to join the EP Entrepreneurs Accelerator Alumni Community which will provide ongoing support and events.
The dates for the first EP Accelerator programme:
- Thursday 26th of October - The first half day session
- Thursday 2nd of November - The second half day session
- Thursday 9th of November - The third half day session
- Tuesday 21st of November - EP pitch event
If you have a product or service that you need funds to launch, or need scale up funding, then do contact izzy.mchattie@epmagazine.co.uk for an application form to fill out.
Mike Day, manager of the new EP Accelerator Programme