5 UK accelerators worth knowing: terms, equity and who they take

By GrantSnap team · Published 2026-10-31 · guide

The Techstars London Accelerator page in October 2026 — Techstars London Accelerator page, captured 31 October 2026.

Five programmes fit this shortlist: Entrepreneur First, Seedcamp, Techstars London, Antler UK and Founders Factory. They differ most on the question founders ask first, which is what you give up. Entrepreneur First publishes an 8% SAFE, Techstars publishes 5% plus a SAFE, Antler publishes 8.5% plus a note and a programme fee, and Seedcamp and Founders Factory publish less.

This is a comparison, not a ranking. Every figure below is as of 31 October 2026 and comes from the organisation's own pages. Where a page does not say, we write "not published". Confirm everything on the official page before you apply.

How these five were chosen

We used three tests: terms published on an official page, a London or UK-wide intake, and an active 2026 cohort or open application route. The five do not pass every test equally, so here are the gaps.

Seedcamp describes itself as a private investment fund, not an accelerator or programme, so it has no cohort. Founders Factory publishes few terms on its main pages. Antler's UK page names a September 2026 start that has now passed, and we found no later UK date. We kept all three because founders ask about them, and we flag what is missing.

Entrepreneur First

Entrepreneur First (EF) backs individuals before they have a company. Its FAQ says you do not need a cofounder or an idea to apply, and that most participants have a technical background. The London programme, called FORM, runs 12 weeks in London. Funded teams then complete LAUNCH, a further 12 weeks in San Francisco.

EF's London FAQ states a £6,000 Talent Investment. It is not equity, and you owe nothing if you do not form a company. At the end of FORM an Investment Committee may invest up to $250,000. Of that, $125,000 is a post-money SAFE for 8% of the company. A further $125,000 is an optional uncapped MFN SAFE, which requires moving to San Francisco and incorporating as a Delaware C-corp. A company incorporated in the UK, France or India receives a local instrument on equivalent terms. The pages we read mention no fees, and EF says it does not provide visas.

There is no fixed window. EF says applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and you get an email whatever the outcome. The application hub lets you save a partial application. The questions themselves are not published on the pages we could read. If you look like a fit, you are invited to meet the Talent Investing team. EF asks you to apply to one programme in one hub city at a time.

Seedcamp

Seedcamp's FAQ says its first cheque is usually between $350K and $1.25M, for companies from the moment you have an idea through early revenue. It is sector agnostic and focuses mainly on companies in Europe and Israel, or with a distinctly European angle. It says that if you have already raised more than a couple of million dollars, it is probably not the right fit.

For rounds it leads, Seedcamp uses its standard pre-seed ASA, based on Seedsummit standard terms. It says it is comfortable with a convertible or an equity structure and decides with you at the time of investment. An equity percentage is not published. It typically takes a board observer role. The FAQ mentions no fees.

There is no application window. You use the Pitch Us form, then have an initial call. Further questions may follow by WhatsApp or email, and a strong fit leads to a 45-minute partner pitch with the full team. Seedcamp aims to finish the whole process within two weeks of meeting you. The form's fields are not published on the pages we could load.

Techstars London

Techstars describes its accelerators as three months of mentorship-driven support, and says the London programme welcomes early-stage founders from all over the world across all verticals. The London page lists applications open from 24 August 2026, a final deadline of 18 November 2026, a start on 8 March 2027 and Demo Day on 3 June 2027.

The London page does not state terms. Techstars' investment terms announcement, dated 17 April 2025, states a $220,000 offer for most programmes. That is $200,000 through an uncapped MFN Safe plus $20,000 through a post-money convertible equity agreement that converts into 5% of common stock. Total equity is at least 5%, plus whatever the Safe converts into. The announcement says there is no fee to join. It also says Techstars invests in US corporations or foreign equivalents, and companies in non-approved countries may need to reorganise first. Because that announcement is from 2025, confirm the current terms.

Applications go through apply.techstars.com. The question list is not published on the pages we read.

Antler UK

Antler's UK page describes an in-person, full-time residency in London with free office space. Founders with a complete team typically join for 6 weeks. Solo founders or incomplete teams join for up to 8 weeks. If Antler invests, a build-and-raise phase follows, which the page gives as up to 12 weeks.

The page states an inception package of £210k: £125k for 8.5% equity plus an £85k convertible note, plus a £40k programme fee. The same page headlines up to £500,000 at inception and pre-seed, which does not match, so ask Antler which figure applies to you. It says fewer than 1% of applicants are invited to the residency.

The page says the next UK residency starts on 22 or 23 September 2026, giving both dates. That has passed. Antler's cohort start-dates page does not list the UK, and says its dates are start dates, not deadlines. Founders need the right to work in the UK, or to be actively applying for a visa by their first interview. The online form asks for name, email, optional LinkedIn, your stage (idea to pre-seed, or Series A to C) and your city, with London listed under Europe. Selection then involves meeting partners and showing fast execution.

Founders Factory

Founders Factory Ltd runs a venture studio and accelerator programmes, many tied to a corporate partner. Its accelerator page describes a cohort-based four-month programme with operational support and investor showcase pitches. The page does not publish equity, fees or eligibility, and says only that it invests alongside the programme.

The London option on its programme list is the Aviva and Founders Factory Fintech Accelerator. Its page says London and global, four months, a £50k cash investment, and pre-seed to Series A startups. Themes are insurance, wealth, property, asset management, cybersecurity and AI. The page says applications are open and gives no deadline. Equity is not published. Applications go through a Typeform, and the questions are not described on the pages we read.

Innovate UK: grants, not accelerators

Innovate UK works differently. Its funding runs through competitions on the Innovation Funding Service, not through cohorts. Innovate UK Business Connect lists the steps: find an active competition, check eligibility, register your business, prepare, write the proposal, submit online and complete any steps before the project starts. Proposals cover technical innovation, market opportunity, delivery plan, financial projections, team and expected impact. UKRI guidance says applications not submitted through the service will not be accepted.

Neither page describes an equity stake, so check each competition's own guidance. Two calls are open in GrantSnap's catalog as of 31 October 2026: "Expression of interest: First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) builder: programme entry" and "NERC-Innovate UK ICURe Discover programme". The table below carries their deadlines and amounts.

How to choose and what to prepare

Start with where you are. With no company or cofounder, EF is the one of the five whose pages say you can apply without either. With a team and a product, and a wish for a London cohort, look at Techstars, Antler and Founders Factory, and at the Aviva programme if you build fintech. Seedcamp is a fund with a rolling pitch, so it suits founders who want a cheque and a lead investor rather than a cohort.

Compare cost in one table of your own. EF publishes 8% by SAFE, Techstars 5% plus a SAFE, and Antler 8.5% plus a note and a £40k fee. For Seedcamp and Founders Factory, ask for the equity terms in the first call. Check incorporation too. Techstars invests in US corporations or foreign equivalents, and EF's optional second tranche needs a Delaware C-corp.

Prepare a short description of what you build and who pays, your background, proof of speed such as a shipped product or users, your cofounder status, your right to work in the UK, and a cap table with any prior funding. EF asks you to explain a small investment or grant, and Seedcamp says it is probably not the right fit once you have raised more than a couple of million dollars.

GrantSnap tracks live calls like these, drafts answers from your profile, and fills the funder's form in Chrome. You review every answer before you submit.

Common questions

Is Seedcamp an accelerator?

Seedcamp's FAQ describes it as a private investment fund and does not call itself an accelerator or programme. Its first cheque is usually between $350K and $1.25M, as of 31 October 2026.

Which of these five take equity?

EF, Techstars and Antler publish equity or convertible terms. Seedcamp publishes a structure but no percentage, and Founders Factory does not publish its equity. The Innovate UK pages we read do not describe an equity stake.

Do any of them charge a fee?

Techstars' April 2025 investment terms say there is no fee to join. Antler's UK page lists a £40k programme fee on top of its £210k package. EF's pages we read mention no fees.

Can I apply to more than one at once?

EF's FAQ asks you to apply to only one programme in one hub city at a time. The other pages we read do not state a rule, so ask each organisation.

What is the Techstars London deadline?

The London page lists a final deadline of 18 November 2026 and a start on 8 March 2027, as of 31 October 2026. Confirm on the official page.

Sources

Entrepreneur First FAQs (accessed 2026-10-31)
Entrepreneur First London FAQ (accessed 2026-10-31)
Entrepreneur First application hub (accessed 2026-10-31)
Seedcamp FAQs (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars London Accelerator (accessed 2026-10-31)
Techstars accelerator investment terms (accessed 2026-10-31)
Antler UK (accessed 2026-10-31)
Antler application (accessed 2026-10-31)
Antler cohort start dates (accessed 2026-10-31)
Founders Factory accelerator (accessed 2026-10-31)
Aviva and Founders Factory Fintech Accelerator (accessed 2026-10-31)
Innovate UK grants: how to apply, Innovate UK Business Connect (accessed 2026-10-31)
Your application, UKRI Innovate UK guidance (accessed 2026-10-31)

We checked the official pages of Entrepreneur First, Seedcamp, Techstars, Antler, Founders Factory, Innovate UK Business Connect and UKRI on 31 October 2026; figures for the open Innovate UK calls come from the GrantSnap catalog as of 2026-10-31.

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