Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
The deal.
The deal.
Our investment approach is designed to provide digital startups with the resources they need to scale quickly and efficiently.
Each year, we invest in a select group of startups, focusing on quality over quantity to ensure we can work closely with each one. Our investment comes in the form of a dedicated product team—skilled professionals who become an extension of your startup. This bespoke team is carefully tailored to meet your specific needs, providing the expertise, resources, and drive to help you succeed.
Startups cover the monthly cost of the product team with a 50/50 split: 50% in cash from their seed raise and 50% in equity. This structure aligns our success with yours and creates a shared path to long-term growth.
Each year, we invest in a select group of startups, focusing on quality over quantity to ensure we can work closely with each one. Our investment comes in the form of a dedicated product team—skilled professionals who become an extension of your startup. This bespoke team is carefully tailored to meet your specific needs, providing the expertise, resources, and drive to help you succeed.
Startups cover the monthly cost of the product team with a 50/50 split: 50% in cash from their seed raise and 50% in equity. This structure aligns our success with yours and creates a shared path to long-term growth.
How it works
How it works
A Structured Approach to Funding, Equity, and Long-Term Growth.
A Structured Approach to Funding, Equity, and Long-Term Growth.
Phase 1
Fundraising support
Fundraising support
Once accepted as an Activate portfolio company, you’ll receive tailored support to refine your value proposition and close your funding round. We’ll guide you through pitching, help with investor outreach, and suggest potential grants. To boost investment readiness, we can advance up to £10,000 for services like user research, market and competitor analysis, and structured design tests to validate key assumptions in your business idea, or even build an MVP to demonstrate early traction.
Once accepted as an Activate portfolio company, you’ll receive tailored support to refine your value proposition and close your funding round. We’ll guide you through pitching, help with investor outreach, and suggest potential grants. To boost investment readiness, we can advance up to £10,000 for services like user research, market and competitor analysis, and structured design tests to validate key assumptions in your business idea, or even build an MVP to demonstrate early traction.
Phase 2
Phased monthly funding
Phased monthly funding
After successfully closing your funding round, Activate Capital—our investment arm— will provide up to £50,000 in phased monthly payments, covering 50% of the monthly cost of your product team from Activate Studio. These payments will continue until the full agreed funding amount is reached. Learn more about the build process.
After successfully closing your funding round, Activate Capital—our investment arm— will provide up to £50,000 in phased monthly payments, covering 50% of the monthly cost of your product team from Activate Studio. These payments will continue until the full agreed funding amount is reached. Learn more about the build process.
Phase 3
Equity Issuance
Equity Issuance
Once the full agreed investment is provided, Activate Capital will receive equity at the same valuation as other investors. If less than the agreed amount is invested, the equity will be prorated to reflect the actual amount invested.
Once the full agreed investment is provided, Activate Capital will receive equity at the same valuation as other investors. If less than the agreed amount is invested, the equity will be prorated to reflect the actual amount invested.
Phase 4
Follow-Up Investment
Follow-Up Investment
As your business grows and enters new funding rounds, Activate Capital may choose to participate with additional investments, providing further financial support to help scale your venture.
As your business grows and enters new funding rounds, Activate Capital may choose to participate with additional investments, providing further financial support to help scale your venture.
“The Activate Studio team’s active involvement at every step ensured we were heading in the right direction, which was crucial for securing nearly half a million in investment and earning recognition.
We were selected for the Creative Catalyst SXSW Programme, won the Best AI for Good Startup in Edinburgh University’s AI Accelerator Programme, and received the Gold Award for Tech Innovation in Cannes”
- Fiona Gillies, Christine Hartland and Mahesh Ramachandra, SMASH founders
“The Activate Studio team’s active involvement at every step ensured we were heading in the right direction, which was crucial for securing nearly half a million in investment and earning recognition.
We were selected for the Creative Catalyst SXSW Programme, won the Best AI for Good Startup in Edinburgh University’s AI Accelerator Programme, and received the Gold Award for Tech Innovation in Cannes”
- Fiona Gillies, Christine Hartland and Mahesh Ramachandra, SMASH founders
“The Activate Studio team’s active involvement at every step ensured we were heading in the right direction, which was crucial for securing nearly half a million in investment and earning recognition.
We were selected for the Creative Catalyst SXSW Programme, won the Best AI for Good Startup in Edinburgh University’s AI Accelerator Programme, and received the Gold Award for Tech Innovation in Cannes”
- Fiona Gillies, Christine Hartland and Mahesh Ramachandra, SMASH founders
Benefits
Benefits
Secure the funding and support you need, with a flexible investment structure designed to minimize risk and align with your long-term success.
Secure the funding and support you need, with a flexible investment structure designed to minimize risk and align with your long-term success.
Aligned Partner
Aligned Partner
As a co-founder, we’re invested in your long-term success. Our deal structure ensures that both Activate and your startup grow together, with clear incentives to achieve sustainable results.
As a co-founder, we’re invested in your long-term success. Our deal structure ensures that both Activate and your startup grow together, with clear incentives to achieve sustainable results.
Boost Your Seed Round
Boost Your Seed Round
With Activate on board as an investor, you can demonstrate committed funding, increasing your credibility with other potential investors.
With Activate on board as an investor, you can demonstrate committed funding, increasing your credibility with other potential investors.
Tailored Product Team
Tailored Product Team
As part of our investment, we assemble a dedicated product and tech team that works as an extension of your own, ensuring focused and efficient execution based on your business needs.
As part of our investment, we assemble a dedicated product and tech team that works as an extension of your own, ensuring focused and efficient execution based on your business needs.
Fundraising and Pitch Support
Fundraising and Pitch Support
Receive expert guidance on pitch development, investor relations, and preparing for funding rounds to enhance your chances of securing investment.
Receive expert guidance on pitch development, investor relations, and preparing for funding rounds to enhance your chances of securing investment.
Flexible, Cost-Effective Resources
Flexible, Cost-Effective Resources
Access partial resources from Activate’s shared pool, allowing you to tap into exactly what you need—reducing overhead and optimizing costs.
Access partial resources from Activate’s shared pool, allowing you to tap into exactly what you need—reducing overhead and optimizing costs.
Exclusive Tools and Deals
Exclusive Tools and Deals
Enjoy free access to essential tools like GitHub, Zenhub, and Slack, plus exclusive deals on services such as Notes, Hubspot, and Seed Legals, helping you focus your budget on growth.
Enjoy free access to essential tools like GitHub, Zenhub, and Slack, plus exclusive deals on services such as Notes, Hubspot, and Seed Legals, helping you focus your budget on growth.
Fully Managed and Scalable Team
Fully Managed and Scalable Team
We handle the entire process of hiring, managing employee benefits, and taking care of other HR-related tasks. As your needs evolve, you can easily scale your team up or down, ensuring you always have the right talent without the administrative burden.
We handle the entire process of hiring, managing employee benefits, and taking care of other HR-related tasks. As your needs evolve, you can easily scale your team up or down, ensuring you always have the right talent without the administrative burden.
Long-Term Flexibility
Long-Term Flexibility
As your startup grows, you can scale resources through us or hire new team members directly. Either way, these new hires will seamlessly integrate with your existing product team, ensuring smooth collaboration and continuous progress without disruption.
As your startup grows, you can scale resources through us or hire new team members directly. Either way, these new hires will seamlessly integrate with your existing product team, ensuring smooth collaboration and continuous progress without disruption.
Application
Application
Our application process ensures that we are the right fit to form a long term and mutually beneficial partnership
Our application process ensures that we are the right fit to form a long term and mutually beneficial partnership
01
Initial Form Submission
Start with a brief, 7-minute form to provide a quick overview of your startup.
Start with a brief, 7-minute form to provide a quick overview of your startup.
02
Application and Video Submission
Submit comprehensive information and three short videos to help us evaluate your company.
Submit comprehensive information and three short videos to help us evaluate your company.
03
Zoom Pitch Call
Zoom Pitch Call - Join a one-hour Zoom call for a pitch presentation and Q&A session.
Zoom Pitch Call - Join a one-hour Zoom call for a pitch presentation and Q&A session.
04
Deal Terms Discussion
Align on the terms of engagement to ensure mutual understanding and comfort with our proposal.
Align on the terms of engagement to ensure mutual understanding and comfort with our proposal.
05
In-Person Meetings
Visit our studio for in-person meetings, free of charge design sessions and casual lunches. This is an important step to ensure we are the right fit.
Visit our studio for in-person meetings, free of charge design sessions and casual lunches. This is an important step to ensure we are the right fit.
06
Agreement Signing
Formalise our partnership by signing the Agreements.
Formalise our partnership by signing the Agreements.
07
Welcome to Activate Studio!
Join the Activate Studio portfolio, close your funding round and kick-start the design and development of your product.
Join the Activate Studio portfolio, close your funding round and kick-start the design and development of your product.
The Deal FAQs
The Deal FAQs
The Deal FAQs
We thought you’d have some questions.
We thought you’d have some questions.
We thought you’d have some questions.
How much money do you invest?
How much equity do you take and are there any fees?
Can you introduce me to other investors?
Will you help me with a working visa if you decide to invest in my startup?
Will you help find me a co-founder?
Is a seat on the board mandatory?
Can we price up what we will deliver?
How much money do you invest?
How much equity do you take and are there any fees?
Can you introduce me to other investors?
Will you help me with a working visa if you decide to invest in my startup?
Will you help find me a co-founder?
Is a seat on the board mandatory?
Can we price up what we will deliver?
How much money do you invest?
How much equity do you take and are there any fees?
Can you introduce me to other investors?
Will you help me with a working visa if you decide to invest in my startup?
Will you help find me a co-founder?
Is a seat on the board mandatory?
Can we price up what we will deliver?
See all FAQs
Got an idea for a business based on a digital platform?
Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
Got an idea for a business based on a digital platform?
Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
Got an idea for a business based on a digital platform?
Activate Studio is accepting startup applications for the Winter 2024 funding cycle. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, December 31st.
Contact
For other questions, reach us at
Looking for an investment opportunity?
Studio Address
Grove Mews, 42 The Grove
Ealing, London
W5 5LH
© 2024 Activate Studio
Contact
For other questions, reach us at
Looking for an investment opportunity?
Studio Address
Grove Mews, 42 The Grove
Ealing, London
W5 5LH
© 2024 Activate Studio
Contact
For other questions, reach us at
Looking for an investment opportunity?
Studio Address
Grove Mews, 42 The Grove
Ealing, London
W5 5LH
© 2024 Activate Studio