We In Social Tech

Summary

We in Social Tech is a London-based accelerator programme, set-up to support innovative women-led social technology businesses.

The accelerator is delivered by Nwes, the largest not-for-private-profit enterprise agency in the UK, in collaboration with founding partner Deutsche Bank, through its social enterprise programme Made for Good.

We in Social Tech launched in October 2018,  to help grow three cohorts of 20 women-led technology businesses with a social purpose over two-years. It is free to participate in, and, unlike many others will not take any equity in return.

The promoters

Nwes

With 40-years of experience working with entrepreneurs across multiple sectors, Nwes helps to start-up 2,000 businesses each year and support more than 5,000 business owners through advice, skills master-classes, access to finance and workspace. Nwes has won multiple awards for its work in encouraging enterprise, providing total business support and capacity building to start-ups, for business growth and employment.

The Nwes social ethos includes addressing the under representation of female founders in the tech sector, as well as the unique challenges women face when growing a business, and they aim to assisting the growth of future role models. Nwes believes that technological advances can be harnessed by businesses to make a positive social impact in communities through creating employment, increased productivity and through the services and products they provide.

Deutsche Bank – Made for Good

Deutsche Bank has a long history of championing initiatives that drive positive change in society. The global social enterprise programme Made for Good supports the success of all kinds of entrepreneurial ventures that create wider social good, including microenterprises, start-ups, non-profits and commercial businesses.

Deutsche Bank sees itself as a technology-driven company, making investments into digital technology across all businesses with an ambition to be a leader in the area of digitalisation. As a natural extension of its core technology business, Deutsche Bank’s support of We in Social Tech will utilise employee’s skills and experience through an estimated 360-hours of mentoring for participants.

Haringey Council

Haringey is home to over 267,000 passionate and proud residents. Haringey Council are ambitious for Haringey’s future and have great ambitions for the people who live here. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to realise their potential and build a future through rewarding work.  Careers in STEM are the future and Haringey Council are delighted to support the We in Social Tech programme taking place at Wood Green Works.

The Accelerator Programme

The accelerator has been designed to address the specific challenges that hold female social tech founders back from achieving their ambitions, and help each business reach its full potential.

Over the course of two years, there will be three six-month accelerator intakes, each with 20 participants per cohort.

Each successful applicant will get access to:

1. The We in Social Tech business growth programme

Organised workshops, talks, seminars, speakers, training and expert visits will take place at Wood Green Works on a weekly basis, every Wednesday. They will also address specific topics of interest, as identified by participants.

The programme will include, but will not be limited to the following topics:

• Business modelling
• Strategic planning
• Business finance
• Raising finance
• Legal and IP
• Market research
• Customer profiling
• User-centred design
• Product analysis
• Marketing
• Sales
• Social Impact Measurement
• Leadership
• Confidence and Wellbeing

2. Business consultancy support

Participants will work with a dedicated business consultant, who will support them around their specific issues and challenges.

3. Growth mentoring by two mentors

Based on participant’s challenges, the accelerator will match them with one mentor from the business, creative or tech industry, and another from Deutsche Bank.

4. Finance and investment readiness

We in Social Tech will help applicants get ready to raise the finance their business requires. This could be loan finance, angel/VC investment, social investment, crowdfunding or grants.

5. Co-working space at Wood Green Works

Participants and their team will have a base from which you can work, network, learn and grow (max 3 people per business).

6. Peer learning groups

By joining the accelerator participants will become part of a vibrant and supportive peer network, as well as dynamic peer-learning groups.

7. Networking

We in Social Tech will organise events and facilitate opportunities to help to grow participants’ professional network.

8. Celebration and Demo Day

At the end of each six-month programme the accelerator will organise a celebration and demo day to showcase participants’ business and product.

Mentors

We in Social Tech have gathered some of the best minds from a wide range of industries to help participants and their business achieve their ambitions. Here are some of the main mentors:

• Ghislaine Boddington, Co-founder Women Shift Digital and Creative Director body>data>space
• Debbie Forster MBE, Co-Founder & CEO Tech Talent Charter
• Simon Read, Entrepreneur & Technology Advisor
• Dr Soraya Jones, Innovation Ambassador The Bradfield Centre
• Marija Butkovic, Founder & CEO Women of Wearables
• Among others

References

https://fashnerd.com/2018/11/fashion-tech-incubators-accelerators/

https://www.weinsocialtech.co.uk/about

http://www.bodydataspace.net/2018/10/we-in-social-tech-accelerating-women-entrepreneurs/

https://www.clearlyso.com/clearlyso-are-proud-sponsors-of-we-in-social-tech-accelerating-women-entrepreneurs/

https://digitalagenda.io/news/women-lead-we-in-social-tech-20/

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252451973/Accelerator-for-female-led-social-tech-startups-opens-in-London