Incubate testimonial by Emma Serlin, founder of London Speech Workshop
We identify impactful ventures and take them beyond conceptualisation. Through careful qualification assessment, we select entrepreneurs at the early stages of their venture journeys to enter our incubator. Here, we provide masterclasses by proven specialists, mentorship, pitching preparation, investor networking, and funding.
To join our Incubate series, please fill this form. You will be contacted privately with the next steps.
The startups we select to Incubate are socially impactful ventures, and are scalable to national infrastructure level. As such, we work with public institutions and governments to develop large-scale project implementation roadmaps that start with our pre-seed funding. We support these ventures through to advanced funding rounds.
Startups that are accepted into Vertex Incubate benefit from the following:
- Free business development plan by Vertex consultants
- Free Vertex Connect account
- Free access to all Vertex Masterclasses
- Free assigned mentor with proven track record in a similar industry
- Universal access to Vertex Explore workshops
- Sponsored entry into reputable accelerator programs
- Regular investor pitching opportunities
- Invitation to feature in Vertex Think Twice series
- Featured press releases to document startup milestones
Startups wishing to apply to enter the Vertex Incubate program should apply here. Applications are on a rolling basis and will be vetted on a case by case basis.
No matter your field of expertise, Vertex continuously pairs promising startups with mentors who have proven track records of success in relevant industries. Mentors who participate in our ecosystem offer wholesome value:
- Access to established corporate networks
- Advisory at the various stages of business development
- Impartial critiques and criticism throughout the project milestones
- Boost mentee's business acumen: professionalism, morals and confidence, soft skills, leadership
Our mentors coach teams through masterclasses, train countless business leaders by sharing tacit knowledge, and make a positive reputation for the teams who they support.
The success of this ecosystem depends on the mentors' dedicated leadership, and we want to help mentors build their own professional profiles in return. We offer mentors:
- Free Vertex Connect account
- Regular mentorship opportunities
- Regular guest speaker opportunities
- Universal access to all Vertex content
- Shareholder opportunities in the Vertex Incubate fund
- Press releases and feature articles covering participation in Vertex engagements
Mentors wishing to join the Vertex Incubate program should apply here. Vertex prefers to source mentors on our own, but we consider all applications fairly and on a rolling basis.
Vertex Incubate welcomes accelerators and investors who are interested in providing pre-seed, seed, and series A support for businesses of the future.
Accelerators and investors are the foundation of the Vertex Incubate program. Our mentors, startups, and hotshots work together to prepare ventures for pitching opportunities, while always prioritising our investor profiles and the necessary milestones to secure investment.
To date, Vertex Incubate has entered startups into opportunities that earn as much as $50,000 in funding in both the United Kingdom and Kenya.
Whether to get onstage at our summit, or to complete our incubator program and present in private settings, our startups are always ready to take the next step. Be part of creating an exceptional experience, support the innovators of the future, and leverage access to a highly influential audience that includes world leaders.
Startups we've empowered
``Absolutely thrilled about getting into an accelerator after winning 3rd place for my social enterprise pitch at Vertex18. It was an amazing experience and lovely to be pitching alongside bright people such as Laura Witka and the winner Emma Serlin. Also big thanks to my mentor Kashani Wijetunga for helping me get ready within only a few weeks.``
Masterclasses
Product-Market Fit
How do you know that your product or solution targets the right market? Will your startup actually make a difference? By the end of this session, your team will be prepared with a solid product-market fit and begin to understand some fundamental elements of how it will work. Your mentors will help you create the first 3 slides to your investor pitch, and you will be provided with templates to best format an eloquent presentation.
Business Plans
This masterclass will ensure that your team has defined the core elements of your business operations given your approved market positioning. Refine the inputs of your business, your processes, and how you are going to win in the industry. Appropriate templates for the corresponding slides in your investor pitch will be provided; working with tools like the lean canvas and other key planning frameworks.
UX & UI Design
How to take an idea and develop the first wireframes for the product, and do the very first working prototype without coding. Talk about UI/UX design patterns, free tools for you to use, idea iteration A/B testing, and proof of concept. Our masterclass leaders run intensive bootcamps that take you through the practical essentials as you start your business. Work with entrepreneurial mega-stars like The Silicon Roundabout, a platform that puts young businesses at the front of the London tech scene.
Pitch Perfect
Learn how to tell a story with your introduction to the product and its market. We train and condition you to handle the high pressures of once in a lifetime pitching opportunities. By the end of this masterclass you will know how to build credibility for yourself and your team, how to present your planned roadmap to top-tier investors, and to convince them of what you'll do once you receive investment.