GC Angels to deliver Innovate UK accelerator programme across the North
GC Angels, the venture capital investment arm of The Growth Company, has been selected by Innovate UK to deliver a new ‘Venture Forward’ accelerator programme in the North of England.
The programme is designed to help up to 160 underrepresented founders access the investment they need to grow their business and will take an innovative approach to tackling the funding gap experienced by diverse founders. GC Angels will cover the North of England, alongside four regional delivery partners providing national coverage.
Alongside Mountside Ventures & Foundervine (London), Firstport (Edinburgh), and Stronger Stories (South of England), GC Angels brings a wealth of experience in investment and business support to help early-stage founders succeed.
Venture Forward offers an intensive programme of support for founders from groups typically underrepresented in the investment ecosystem. Over the course of two accelerator programmes, each running for eight weeks, participants will take part in a structured series of workshops, 1:1 coaching and mentoring tailored to their individual journeys. The content will focus on helping founders become investment-ready, giving them the knowledge and confidence needed to secure funding.
Founders will benefit from investor-led teaching throughout the programme – something that differentiates Venture Further from other accelerators. The programme will also foster strong regional networks through local meetups and national investor events, delivered in partnership with the wider consortium.
Following the programme, GC Angels will select up to three standout founders from each cohort to receive an equity investment offer of between £50,000 and £150,000, providing a real springboard for their businesses to grow.
The project introduces a first-of-its-kind, outcome-driven initiative to support underrepresented founders across 76% of the UK’s early-stage ecosystem. It features the launch of the Underrepresented Investor Charter, aiming to engage 100+ investors through measurable commitments, alongside best-in-class fundraising tools that will be accessible to all. With a focus on tangible investor engagement over traditional mentorship, the programme is designed to level the playing field for founders outside London and those with diverse backgrounds or care responsibilities.
Recruitment for the first cohort will begin in early July 2025 and run from October to December 2025 in Manchester. A second cohort will follow in April to June 2026 with a location to be confirmed.
Venture Forward is open to UK founders based in the North of England, with priority given to those from groups traditionally underrepresented in entrepreneurship, including women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ founders, and those from low-income or underrepresented regions.
Marc Shirman, head of investment at GC Angels, said: “We’re proud to be working with Innovate UK and our partners to help break down the barriers many founders still face when it comes to raising investment. Venture Forward is about much more than funding – we’re giving talented founders the skills, confidence, and connections they need to build sustainable, successful businesses. GC Angels has always been about empowering visionary founders across the North of England, so this programme felt like a natural continuation of the work we’ve already been doing. There’s plenty to be excited about, and I can’t wait to welcome our first cohort of entrepreneurs.”