GC Angels launches third Venture Forward accelerator cohort

GC Angels, the venture capital arm of The Growth Company, has launched the third cohort of its Venture Forward accelerator programme. Backed by Innovate UK, the initiative is designed to help underrepresented founders across the North of England prepare for their first institutional seed investment rounds.

The programme aims to provide early-stage founders with the tools, knowledge, and investor connections necessary to secure venture capital within 12 months. Previous cohorts have supported 52 companies, resulting in 18 companies raising a combined £4.6m. GC Angels has also directly invested £720k into four companies from previous cohorts.

The third cohort includes 21 companies from various sectors, including life sciences, cyber security, climate tech, and health tech. The programme maintains a focus on diversity, with 52% of founders identifying as women or from an ethnic minority background, and 64% originating from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Participating companies represent regions including Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, Shropshire, and North Wales.