Startup Summer Accelerator

Take your business idea to the next level with expert support and up to £3,000 in funding.

The Startup Summer Accelerator is a 3-month programme designed to help University of Edinburgh students, graduates and staff turn their ideas into thriving businesses. Called “the best programme in Edinburgh to accelerate your business from idea to reality” by past participants, it offers funding, mentorship and essential skills to drive your startup’s success.

This year, the programme is sponsored by the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), offering additional tailored support and expert guidance in EFI key sectors.

Who can apply?

The programme is open to students, recent graduates and staff of the University of Edinburgh building a startup.

Eligibility:

✔ At least one co-founder must be a University of Edinburgh student, staff member or recent graduate (within two years).

✔ The University-affiliated co-founder must attend all core sessions.

✔ Full engagement is required to receive funding.

❌ Staff spinouts are not eligible for this programme. Edinburgh Innovations staff enterprise team offers dedicated spinout support—contact the team for guidance.

Is this programme for you?

This accelerator is ideal for those who:

Have a well-developed, innovative business concept
Can demonstrate market demand for their product or service
Are ready to commit time and energy to growing their startup
Are looking for mentorship and access to an entrepreneurial network
Have a UK presence and are looking to start their investment journey

Apply now

Industry Focus

In 2025, the Startup Summer Accelerator is proudly sponsored by the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI), with tailored support for businesses in:

Financial Services & Fintech

Public Services

Creative Industries

Tourism and Traveltech

Applications are also encouraged from other industries, particularly those focused on:

Health & Care

Climate & Environment

Data, Digital & AI

What’s included?

Up to £3,000 in funding to develop your business
Guidance from experienced entrepreneurs and investors
Weekly workshops on finance, pitching, sustainability and marketing
Networking opportunities with fellow founders and the chance to pitch for a share of a prize fund at the final showcase

📅 Key Details

Applications close: 5^th May 2025 at 12noon
Programme dates: 30^th May – 4^th September 2025

Sessions: Thursdays (2-hour core sessions), plus occasional 1-hour Friday sessions
Format: Hybrid – mix of in-person and online sessions, with a final showcase event in person

Startup name	Lead student/alumni	Brief description	School
2B Jumps	Rosie Tooby	Innovative showjump design increases horse welfare, rider safety and course building efficiency.	Alumni from Moray House School of Education & Sport
Qinara	Swapnil Deshmukh	Specializes in merging Quantum Computing with diverse fields, focusing on AI-driven healthcare solutions, quantum algorithm efficiency, and secure computational frameworks.	Current student from the School of Informatics
Sea Sat	Solomon White	Using Satellite images to monitor oceans health specifically in the coast. To be used as a measure for ocean environmental vulnerability, assessing biological productivity, as well as, ecosystem developmen.	Current student from the School of Engineering
Road Gauge	Elijah Hoole	Hardware and software solutions for transport infrastructure inspection, covering pavement defect identification and measurement, geo-tagged asset management, and safety evaluation.	Alumni from the School of Informatics
ThriftFind	Francesca Roberts	A personalised shopping assistant that can search across multiple secondhand e-commerce sites at once (like Depop, Vinted, eBay etc) and find the best pieces suited to the users preferences.	Current student from the School of Biological Sciences
QuantiPoly	Joe Bradley	Provides high-quality table-top devices to researchers and quality control teams for particle size measurements	Current student from School of Physics and Astronomy
Alpha Earth Observation	Owen Williams	Provides farmers with a user-friendly dashboard for monitoring a range of agricultural insights within their farm including crop health, soil moisture levels and early crop detection disease.	Alumni from the School of Geosciences
DuaBon	Eloise Bevan	Developing a cost efficient hydrothermal carbonisation process for biochar production.	Current student from the School of Engineering
Brokyl Forecasting	Oleguer Simon Camps	Offers a unique and cutting-edge SaaS platform that aims to make advanced forecasting technologies accessible to SMEs	Alumni from the School of Mathematics
Grarandor	Bence Szilagyi	Developing invisible watermarks to protect digital identities and copyrights. These watermarks, designed for both copyright security and privacy enhancement.	Current student from the School of Informatics
FlyFarmer	Shalom Eneyi Oshi	Utilizes Black Soldier Fly Larvae to convert organic waste into sustainable feed for poultry and aquaculture production, thereby reducing food waste and promoting circular economy principles.	Current student from the School of Geosciences
Babet Foods	Dorcas Babet Kwofie	Semi-finished baby cereals in a powder form for babies above 6 months old, adults and people like diabetic patients and vegetarians. The products contain nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates which keep the body healthy and energised.	Current student from the School of Social and Political Science
DjaraPharma	Ahmend Konneh	A health-tech platform that increases patients' access to affordable and quality medication in emerging economies	Alumni from the Business School
ATTA Breastmilk Community	Tracy Ahumuza	Over the past 3 years supported breastmilk donation to over 400 frail newborn babies whose life or quality of life would otherwise have been affected by the absence of human milk.	Current student from the Business School

SHOWCASE

Join us to hear pitches from the inspiring entrepreneurs who took part in our 2025 startup summer accelerator and celebrate our growing entrepreneurial community. Details to be confirmed.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to take part in the Accelerator, the passion for student enterprise at Edinburgh Innovations shines through and the support provided is unmatched. The access to patent attorneys, accountants, designers, investors and mentors has been invaluable, and I recommend any fellow PhD innovators reading this to visit the team!
2024 participant

Edinburgh Innovations has played a pivotal role in supporting my entrepreneurial journey. The grant money I received has enabled me to fully dedicate my time and effort to SimPat over the summer, driving its development. Being part of the Startup Summer Accelerator cohort has connected me with a talented group of fellow entrepreneurs, fostering a collaborative environment. The expertise, industry knowledge, mentorship and support offered has also been instrumental in guiding my startup’s growth.”
2023 participant

Before being accepted onto the Startup Summer Accelerator, I was a solo entrepreneur, collecting market research and storyboarding ideas, but with no real direction. I had all these big ideas but no idea how to make them a reality. While it is still early days, I can safely say I can see these ideas becoming a reality, this wouldn’t have been the case without Edinburgh Innovations. I have a network of friends and colleagues who are all in the same startup boat and it is reassuring to know I am not in it alone.
2023 participant

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This article was published on 2024-07-01