10 businesses graduate from accelerator programme

Thursday 14 December 2023

Entrepreneurs from South Africa, the UK and Jersey have finished a new six-month development programme with a week-long residency in the island.

The accelerator - a programme devised to develop start-ups and grow them to a point where they can be viable businesses - was organised by Grindstone Accelerator, in partnership with Digital Jersey.

The South Africa-based company hosted the UK and Channel Islands programme for the first time this year.

During the six-month scheme, the 10 participating start-ups received help growing their businesses - to be as ready to launch as possible - and building connections.

Grindstone Accelerator said they were particularly keen for a diverse cohort - with five companies from South Africa, one from the UK and four from the Channel Islands.  Half of the founding teams included women in what is traditionally a male-dominated space.

Participants all used tech in their projects, but applied to health, marketing, financial products, education and AI.

During the residency in Jersey, they were given the opportunity to network and learn how to access funding markets in the UK and abroad. They are took part in masterclasses and pitched their businesses to potential clients and investors.

Catherine Young, Managing Partner at Grindstone, said the scheme aimed to "expand market access and funding opportunities for the carefully curated selection of startups, to drive cross border collaboration and growth".

She added: "Our 2023 cohort has paved the way for an even better Class of 2024."

Arron Brown, Business Development Manager at Digital Jersey, added: "We’re immensely proud to be able to host and support this event, bringing emerging business talent to Jersey from across the world - the calibre of the individual entrepreneurs was high.

"The programme delivery from Grindstone was also first class and it was great to see the personal development and final pitches after the 2023 programme graduation.”

Philip Faure, Programme Director at Grindstone, said the residency week was "fantastic" and "an incredible journey".

He added that he was looking forward to seeing a new cohort go through the programme in 2024.