AccelerateHER Awards 2021

Our Vision:

We believe in female founders.  We believe teams that include female founders perform better.  We believe there is huge potential for more female founders to scale their companies internationally.

AccelerateHER Awards 2021

Applications for the AccelerateHER Awards 2021 closed on Friday 11th December 2020.

The AccelerateHER Awards are a celebration of female founders and their potential to grow their companies and scale internationally. Now in their sixth year, the awards have provided a springboard to growth for finalists and winners by opening doors to new connections and opportunities through the global AccelerateHER network.

Previous AccelerateHER Award winners have accessed incredible top-level market building missions to California, New York, Boston, Berlin and Dubai – resulting in new investment leads, extensive new business and a much extended network of top industry leaders and finance community ‘movers and shakers’.

One winner from each category will receive a mentoring package from Investing Women Angels, sponsored by Barclays, and get the opportunity to take part in one of our international market building Missions* to Europe, North America or the Middle East. Winners will become part of the AccelerateHER network and benefit from priceless connections, industry contacts, learning and potential funders.

*International market building missions will only go ahead if it is safe to do so in light of the current global pandemic. If we can’t travel, rest assured we will still put together an amazing prize package to help accelerate your business and make international connections.

Dates for the Diary

• Monday 12th October 2020 – AccelerateHER Awards 2021 Application Opens
• Friday 11th December 2020 – AccelerateHER Awards 2021 Applications Closes
• Monday 18th January 2021 – Semi-Finalists announced
• Friday 5th February 2021 – Semi-Finalists to submit an executive summary
• Wednesday 10th February 2021 – Pitch coaching session
• Thursday 25th February 2021 – AccelerateHER Awards 2021 Semi-Final
• Friday 12th March 2021 – Finalists to submit a business plan
• Thursday 25th March 2021 – AccelerateHER Awards 2021 Final

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AccelerateHER Awards 2021 Categories

The awards are split into four categories with a winner being selected from each category. When you complete the application form you will be asked to select which category you wish to be considered for from the following:

Medtech and Science    
Medical devices, cures for infectious diseases and life-changing health management apps are just some of the ideas we would expect to see in this category. We are looking for businesses with life-changing innovations for humans or animals.

FinTech, Data Science and Cybersecurity
Do you have a platform that will change the face of banking and wider financial services? Have you developed a tool that will protect the most vulnerable of data from hackers? Is data analytics your thing? Then this category is for you.

CleanTech and Climate
Is your company using technology to provide answers to the climate crisis? Are you reducing emissions, offering an alternative to plastic, developing a sustainable transport solution? If your business is looking after our planet, enter this category.

Disruptive Innovation
If you don’t fit into one of the other 3 categories but you have a product or service innovation that is set to disrupt your sector, then this category is for you.

Rising Star

We would love it if everyone could win, but sadly that’s not the case. We often see businesses that have huge potential but are not quite at the right stage to benefit from winning a place on our trade missions just yet. Our judges will select a Rising Star from among the semi-finalists who will benefit from a package of in-kind support from our professional partners, including legal advice Aberdein Considine, HR advice from Purpose HR and accountancy advice. The Rising Star will be announced at our semi-finals and get the chance to showcase their business at the finals in March.