The programme is designed as a structured roadmap for founders, guiding them from early-stage development to investment readiness and scaling.

Six-Month Accelerator Phase

• Investment readiness training: Masterclasses on investment options (equity, debt, grants), financial forecasting, and legal frameworks. 
• Business model refinement: Identifying scalable revenue models, competitive differentiation, and market positioning. 
• Entrepreneurial leadership: Confidence-building, personal branding, and overcoming barriers to scaling. 
• Onsite business visits: Learning from women-led businesses that have successfully raised capital.
• Investor & pitching readiness: Intensive sessions on pitch deck development and storytelling.

Eighteen Months of Continued Support from BREE at the University of Bradford

With 80% of businesses in our core programme surviving beyond three years, this structured support is designed to counter the high failure rates typically seen within the first three years of a startup’s journey, positioning founders for long-term success. 

• Tailored Mentorship & Guidance: Personalised mentoring from industry experts, experienced entrepreneurs, and academic specialists including monthly coaching sessions from the BREE team. 
• Access to University Resources: Gain access to University facilities, research expertise, and academic support to refine business models and drive innovation. Founders may also benefit from specialist support from the AI and Marketing departments, leveraging student talent to develop strategic insights and marketing campaigns as part of the Bradford Business Challenge, further enhancing business growth and visibility. 
• Funding Opportunities: Guidance on securing grants, investment, and financial resources to scale ventures and opportunities to pitch with curated investor panels. 
• Bi-Monthly Founder Support Sessions: These rotating sessions focus on key areas such as:
  • Personal Founder Development: Practical learning with hands on training revenue modelling, strategic marketing, resilience, negotiation and entrepreneurial mindset. Peer-to-Peer Learning: Encouraging collaboration and shared problem-solving among founders and be part of our early-stage founder community. 
  • Expert-Led Masterclasses: Insights from subject matter specialists covering essential business topics. 
  • Entrepreneur Knowledge-Sharing Sessions: First-hand experiences from successful entrepreneurs, discussing challenges, lessons learned, and growth strategies. These interactive and immersive sessions foster confidence, expand professional networks both regionally and nationally, and significantly enhance a founder’s ability to navigate the complexities of building a successful business. 
• A structured equity model, where BREE takes a 15% equity stake, with a buyback option for 7.5% equity within the duration of the programme. Please note this is only relevant to those founders who sign up for the two years programme in total.
• Access to On-Site Facilities: Participants can register their company using the University’s address, providing a professional base for their venture. They will also have access to the Entrepreneurs’ Lounge, a dedicated workspace fostering collaboration and productivity. Additionally, participants can utilise the University library, which offers industry-led databases to support market research, competitive analysis, and industry insights, equipping founders with the knowledge needed to refine and scale their businesses. 
• Opportunities for University-wider international programmes within the Open Innovation programme, businesses can access scaling opportunities and enhanced global visibility. This will connect entrepreneurs with industry leaders, innovation hubs, and strategic partners, supporting long-term business growth on an international scale. 
• Ongoing University Support: Participants will receive continued coaching and advisory services post- programme, provided they actively contribute to the ecosystem. This may include serving as a mentor, guest speaker, or offering support to the next generation of female entrepreneurs. By fostering a cycle of knowledge-sharing and community engagement, alumni can remain connected to the programme while playing a key role in strengthening the entrepreneurial network.