Ready to Raise is AccelerateHER’s newest and most intensive investor-readiness programme, launching early 2026, created to support a small number of advanced-stage founders who are actively preparing to raise equity investment.
Over six months, we’ll work hands-on with up to eight selected founders who are at, or very close to, the point of going to market. Through tailored mentoring, targeted expert input and practical support, Ready to Raise is designed to help you cross the final mile, from nearly ready to fully ready, and unlock the investment the business needs to scale.
This is not a high-volume programme. It’s a final step in the AccelerateHER pipeline, a focused, founder-led experience built for businesses with momentum, clarity and ambition.
Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator – a 9-week programme for founders beyond the idea stage and preparing to scale across the UK
Women to Women (W2W) Programme – our in-person peer accelerator, connecting female founders and new women angels in Scotland
The Ready to Raise programme provides structured support across the areas that most often determine whether a raise succeeds. It’s not about generic content, it’s about working on your business, with a tight-knit community of peers and experts alongside you.
Investment & fundraising readiness – capital strategy, raise mechanics, pitch refinement and investor Q&A
Financial & commercial foundations – financial models, runway planning, revenue validation and growth assumptions
Legal & structuring – investment structures, term sheets, shareholder considerations and option schemes
Board structure & governance – board composition, advisory roles and investor expectations
HR & people strategy – founder roles, early team planning, incentives and culture as you scale
Recruitment planning – identifying and preparing for key early hires post-raise
Due diligence preparation – data room setup, stress-testing assumptions and addressing common investor concerns
Growth & go-to-market clarity – traction, commercial proof points and customer validation
Each founder will be paired with a lead mentor and supported by a wider pool of trusted AccelerateHER experts. Everything is built around your business and your specific fundraising journey.
Ready to Raise is for female founders with high-growth ambitions who are preparing to raise equity investment within the next 6–12 months.
You may already have completed programmes like Women to Women or our Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator, or been part of an investor showcase. This is the final step.
We’re looking for founders who:
This is an invitation-only programme. Founders cannot currently apply. Initial participants will be invited into a pilot cohort launching in February 2026.
We’re bringing together a small group of experienced, trusted AccelerateHER supporters for the Ready to Raise cohort.
If you’re already part of our mentor network and have experience in equity fundraising, commercial strategy, legal structuring, people planning or scaling operations, we’d love to hear from you.
Mentor support will be structured, paid, and time-bounded, with a lead mentor coordinating delivery across the programme.
We also welcome interest from angel investors and early-stage VCs seeking to connect with a high-quality pipeline of investment-ready female founders. Whether through investor showcases, informal Q&A, or behind-the-scenes support, your involvement could make a genuine difference.
If you work within the startup ecosystem and know a female founder who is close to raising and would benefit from deep, practical support, we’d love to connect.
Ready to Raise is just one part of AccelerateHER’s support pipeline. Founders earlier in their journey may be better suited to one of our other accelerator programmes, like Women to Women or the Barclays Eagle Labs Female Founder Accelerator.
Get in touch to learn more about where your referral might be the best fit.
Over the past decade, AccelerateHER has supported over 7,000 female founders and helped drive over £70 million in investment.
Ready to Raise builds on everything we’ve learned, with a sharp focus on unlocking capital, building confidence, and creating conditions for scalable success.
The future of investment is female. This is where it starts.
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