Regenerative Economies starting to Blossom
Kicking Off Blossom Impact Accelerator The first Blossom Impact Accelerator was born in summer 2022. Thirteen businesses were carefully...
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BLOSSOM STORIES
Access to £1M Blossom Investment Pot
£15k guaranteed cash prize for winners on Pitch Day
No fee and no equity taken to join
4-month programme online and in-person
Launching July 5th 2022 in Somerset, UK
Up to 15 businesses will be chosen
About
Who should apply?
You are eligible to apply if you are a business that meets the following criteria:
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UK-based
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Purpose-led
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Post Revenue
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Below £1m turnover in 2021
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Focused on changing the food system
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Seeking £50k - £2m in the next 12 months
WHY APPLY?
Structure
Blossom Impact Accelerator combines online and in-person sessions. Participants should expect to join retreats and gatherings in person for deep connection and immersive learning. The online part of the programme will include peer and group coaching and structured sessions with experts, all developed based on individual and collective needs and with an intention to provide opportunities for rich exchange. Download the full programme to see the dates for each session.
Launch event
All of the selected candidates will be joining together in person for a full 2-day retreat in rural Somerset to celebrate the start of the programme. The retreat will take place at the beautiful 42 Acres, with all food and accommodation covered by Be the Earth. You will have a chance to connect in person with fellow Blossom participants, spend time in nature, and kick off the learning journey.
*Please note travel costs will be at your own expense
Sessions, peer coaching and mentoring
Through weekly online sessions, entrepreneurs will gain skills and knowledge in key topics like catalytic storytelling and marketing, sustainable business models, financial roadmaps, pathways to scale, purposeful leadership and feminist principles, abundance mindset, and investment readiness. You will deepen relationships with like-minded founders through weekly peer coaching and get personalised support in monthly 1:1 mentoring sessions. Our partner Mission Kitchen will be hosting one of the in-person sessions at their space.
Pitch event
The 4-month programme will culminate in a live pitch event on the evening of November 29, 2022, in London. There will be networking, food, and of course the pitch competition! The competition will be judged by 4 leading experts in the field.
There will be a cash prize of £15k for the winners (grant funding from Be the Earth) and a free membership to Mission Kitchen's coworking space but the larger intention is to connect the businesses with a room full of investors.
Partners
PARTNERS
INVESTORS
1/1
And more!
These are some of the investors that you are likely to meet on the programme and at the pitch event! More will be added as they confirm.
Judges
JUDGES
Emilie Vanpoperinghe
Co-Founder & CEO, Oddbox
Emilie Vanpoperinghe
Jyoti
Fernandes
Campaign Manager, Land Workers Alliance
Jyoti Fernandes
Ben
Arbib
Co-founder, Nurture Brands
Ben Arbib
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Koen
Van Seijen
Founder, Investing In Regen Ag
Koen Van Seijen
EXPERTS & MENTORS
 Dr. Ulrich BeckerCOO at The DO |  Anne RammiComms & Community at Be the Earth |  Andrew MyersDirector at Be the Earth |
|---|---|---|
 Belinda EsterhammerManaging Directorat The DO Asia |  Andrew Jennings OBEGlobal Retail Advisor |  Eva Vander GiessenEntrepreneurship Program Lead at The DO |
 Achim HensenCo-founder at Purpose Economy |  Katherin KirschenmannFounder at The Do |  Andy ChaleffFounder at Meaningful Relations |
 Alexander WeisbergImpact Entrepreneur/Investor |  Tasha Stevens-VallencilloHead of Production at 42 Acres |  Simon DayHead of Marketing at Compleat Food Group |
Application Process
APPLICATION PROCESS
Stage 03 - Online interview:
30 minute video-call
Stage 01 - Qualifying round:
Meet the application criteria
Stage 02 - Application:
Share details about your business
April 1
Stage 1: Qualification round opens
April 20
May 11
Stage 2: Application sent out to those who qualify (rolling)
Stage 3: Online interviews start
May 14
Applications close
June 14
2022 Blossom Impact Accelerator Cohort is confirmed and announced
July 5
The cohort gathers in person from July 5-7 at 42 Acres, in Somerset
FAQ
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Do you take any equity or is there a fee to join?No equity is taken and there is no fee charged to participate in the programme! We measure the success of this programme by the impact your business has in the world. And if we make an investment following the programme, we will negotiate terms together.
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Am I guaranteed funding if I join the accelerator?Investment is not guaranteed as part of this programme. You will be introduced to a variety of investors - ranging from foundations, to VCs and specialised banks. They may come in as speakers, be your 1:1 mentor, or see your live pitch on the Pitch Day. There is a guaranteed prize for the top 3 pitches, which is a small amount of grant funding. One of the goals of the programme is to create a model for Be the Earth to meet inspiring new founders and create a more engaging way to carry out due diligence on their ventures. Therefore, Be the Earth will be choosing businesses to participate that they believe are a good fit for their investment portfolio. Regardless if you receive capital investment at the end of the programme or not, you will remain a part of the ecosystem and have support from Be the Earth.
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Will I have an opportunity to join if I’m outside the UK?For the first year of the programme, we will only be focusing on UK based businesses. This is because we want to provide opportunities for in-person connection. In the future, we are hoping to launch programmes in multiple different hubs and perhaps will create a global opportunity that is completely remote. Stay tuned for more on this soon.
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What costs do I have to cover?The programme itself is completely free! The in-person sessions are also covered by Be the Earth - this includes food and accommodation (for the kick-off retreat at 42 Acres). You will be responsible for finding your own way to the retreat in Somerset and the in-person days in London. If there is demand, Be the Earth will help coordinate ride sharing, including funding a taxi or two from the train station nearest to 42 Acres (Gillingham Dorset). All in person days in London will also have catering, but you are welcome to bring your own snacks etc.
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Am I more likely to be accepted if I apply early?Please have a look at the application timeline to understand the process and deadlines a bit more. We strongly advise you to apply early as if we get a lot of strong applicants, we will close applications earlier. The programme cohort is small, and we want to leave the application open long enough to attract a variety of businesses, but we don’t want to make our lives too difficult as we know the more applicants there are, the harder it will be too choose! Regardless, we expect to offer places on a rolling basis from June 1st.
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I’m an investor, can I join the pitch day?Absolutely! We will be hosting it in-person and live-streaming online. Please send us an email to get involved – the more the merrier.
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Have any additional questions?Please email tessa@betheearth.foundation
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