Evolve to succeed
Start Up Accelerator
The fully funded by Business Growth Dorset, Business Accelerator. Offers early stage businesses across Dorset practical advice and expert support to find new customers and access to finance.
about the programme
Practical support to help you build, develop & grow your business.
Starting and growing a business comes with plenty of questions.
- How do I find more customers?
- Is my business model right?
- What should I be focusing on?
- How do I get on top of my finances?
- And where do I go when I need some advice
The Start Up Accelerator brings together practical workshops, one to one business support, expert advice and opportunities to connect with other business owners.
It’s about giving you useful knowledge, challenging your thinking and helping you apply it to your own business.
You’ll have access to eight workshops, delivered monthly. Designed on a rolling basis, so businesses will be able to join at different points rather than waiting for a new cohort to begin.
What does the programme cover?
Build a stronger business through our six month rolling programme, with practical workshops delivered monthly. Sessions will be a mix of face to face and online, with in person workshops taking place in Poole and Dorchester.
Start Up Exchange
Round Table Discussion, sharing challenges, exchange ideas and learn from other business owners.
Finding and Winning Customers
Understand how to reach the right customers, stand out and turn interest into sales.
Start Up Finance, Made Simple
Understand the numbers that matter and build confidence in managing your business finances.
Building the Right Business
Test your ideas, challenge your assumptions and build a stronger foundation for your business.
Meet the Funder
A panel event, where you can explore your funding options, understand what funders are looking for and learn how to get your business investment ready.
Market Place
Showcase your business, make new connections and explore opportunities.
Who is it for?
Build a stronger business with the Start Up Accelerator.
The programme is designed on a rolling basis, so businesses will be able to join at different points rather than waiting for a new cohort to begin.
To take part in the Business Growth Dorset Accelerator, you’ll need to:
- Be a registered business (sole trader, partnership, Ltd company)
- Have been trading for less than three years
- Be based in Dorset
- Be able to attend the eight workshops and committed towards growing your business and the programme
Evolve to succeed
Start & grow your business with confidence.
This programme is fully funded by Business Growth Dorset, register your interest and a member of the Evolve team will be in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The programme is publicly funded, and eligible businesses can access the support without charge.
Yes. Sole traders, limited companies, partnerships, and other eligible business structures can apply.
No. The programme is suitable for both sole founders and businesses beginning to build a team.
Businesses from all sectors are welcome.
The programme is primarily intended for businesses that have started trading. If you are still at the idea or pre-start stage, Evolve can advise whether this programme or another form of support would be more suitable. Call us on 01202 030 982.
The programme operates on a rolling basis, so eligible businesses can join at any time. A “rolling programme” means, the support repeats every six months with people attending the next relevant events. Your initial conversation with Evolve will help identify the most relevant place to begin.
The minimum time commitment is 12 hours over a 6-month period.
Topics include finding and winning customers, business finance, business models, validation, funding, pitching, legal protection, AI and digital working.
Evolve will check your eligibility, contact you to understand your business and its current challenges, and help you book your first activities.
Because the programme repeats every six months, you should have another opportunity to attend. Speak to the programme team if you need to rearrange.
Yes, absolutely.
The programme will help you understand grants, loans, equity, and other funding options. It cannot guarantee funding, but it can help you assess suitable options and improve your readiness.
No programme can guarantee growth. Evolve will provide advice, practical tools and connections, to increase your chances of success as best we can.
Dates and locations will be released soon, once you have applied a member of the Evolve team will be able to give you a breakdown of the exact dates, times and locations.
Some workshops will be broadcast online through Microsoft Teams. Other sessions, such as round tables, panel events and marketplaces, will primarily take place face to face.
You will need to provide basic information about your business, its location, trading history, current challenges and what you want to achieve.