CRL Accelerator

Supported by

Our internationally recognised CRL Accelerator is the UK's leading programme for product makers and hardware pioneers. We offer unrivalled support for early stage business.

LAST YEAR'S DEMO DAY

Programme features

Customer discovery

Understand what your customers really want and what value your product brings.

product development

Get your product manufactured at the right cost and set-up supply chains for scale.

Commercial strategy

Put yourself on the path to a successful revenue model and strong sales strategy.

investment readiness

Gain the hardware-specific funding from grants to crowdfunding to angel investors to venture capital.

intensive mentorship

From our entrepreneurs, business leaders and tech gurus.

engineer support

Hands on product development from our in-house product design team.

£5,000

Grant towards testing and product development costs.

Trip to China

Dedicated trip to Shenzhen to meet with potential manufacturing partners.

Criteria

Working prototype (it doesn’t have to be pretty)
Desire to build a scalable product-based business
A product or business model displaying genuine innovation
Two or more team members are desirable but not essential
Business registered in the UK

Dates & Terms

Applications are now closed.

Applications are now closed. The next programme will begin in early 2021 and applications will only later this year.

For taking part in the CRL Accelerator there is an option agreement for 3% equity in your business. A portion of the support that we provide you is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and this is not connected with the 3% option. If you are selected for the programme, it is necessary to register your company in the UK.

our PROGRAMME TEAM

Program Manager

ANNEZA PITSIALIS

Product Development Director

Jim
Reeves

Electrical Engineer

Jose Martinez

Workshop Manager & Prototype lead

Jacob Luscombe

Product Developer

Connor
Ray

Meet some of our mentors

Mark ELliott

Business Coach for Solo Business Owners, helping owners navigate change, Mentor, Lean Startup Specialist

Marija Butkovic

Founder & CEO Women of Wearables, Mentor, Top 50 Women in UK Tech by Computer Weekly

Andy CripPS

Bridging the Gap Entrepreneur
Director at Brunel University London

Victoria Corbishley

Chief Innovation Officer at Brunel Partners Academic Centre for Health Sciences

Meet more mentors

Arun
Thangavel

Designer at Founders Factory

Janet Murray

Helps coaches, consultants & entrepreneurs build online audiences

Arnold du toit

Entrepreneur, Advisor, Investor

Joan Lau

Performance Coach, Organisational Development Research Practitioner

Sarah Yule

Sales Director EMEA at Audio-Technica, Board Director at MIA, Executive MBA Grad at WBS

Dan Ballin

Investment, Corporate Clients, R&D Tax Credits, People Operations Medtech, Arts

Marjan Angoshtari

Lecturer in Industrial Design at Brunel University London

Richard Ling

Product launch PR Community Building to show engagement to investors. B2C Crowdfunding

Tim Carrigan

Entrepreneur and Business Advisor

Stephen Holland

Founder & Creative Director at pleasefindattached

Chakshu Saharan

Co-founder at Ignius, CFO at Pierian

Simon Poulter

Pitch, Investment, Corp Partnerships

Grace
Gould

Co-founder & CEO at Soda Says

Rui De Sousa Campos

Aerospace & Aviation

Richard
Foggie

INvestment – innovation funds

Lloyd
Pinder

Business Mentor / Consultant

Alison
Cavey

Partner, CAG Consultants

Olaf
Swanzie

UK Director at PNO Consultants

Neil Mulkern

Director of Marketing and Business Development at Technology Investors Advisory Service

Neil
Loveday

My Financepartner at PwC

Mat
Hunter

Co-CEO at Plus X

Paul
ROSTAS

Co-CEO at Plus X

GABRIELE JESSON

Chief Marketing Officer at Plus X

TobY
KRess

Managing Director at CRL and Programme Director at Plus X

MEET OUR ALUMNI

THE MAKERS CABINET

"The workshops at CRL were perfect. The CRL accelerator programme gave us space to work and mentorship with industry professionals. "

The CRL workshops enabled makes cabinet to explore various methods of production such as batch production versus mass production. Following the CRL programme, the team raised £250,000 through a variety of crowdfunding campaigns.

MIMICA TOUCH

The programme helped Mimica develop an early stage prototype and begin creating a business strategy for launching Mimica Touch.

Solveiga Pakštaitė is the multi award winning founder of Mimica. In 2014 she conceived the concept of Mimica Touch, a temperature-sensitive indicator cap or label for food freshness as part of her design degree at Brunel University.

COSICARE

“The team at CRL helped me re-think my original prototype which was ground-breaking for me. Using the facilities and expertise available, I was able to design a streamlined product ready for launch in 2020.”

Lauren Bell, Founder

CosiCare is a business that creates tools to mimic scratching and soothe itching for people with extreme exema. Patented technology offers a unique combination of cold and texture to soothe the skin safely and effectively.

ACELERON ENERGY

"CRL has transformed our startup from a university project to an award winning business"

Carlton Cummins, Co-Founder

This fast growing company is producing lithium ion batteries for renewable energy, helping to reduce cost, waste and help developing countries.