Accelerate Cambridge programme overview

Theme: Defining the venture opportunity and establishing the execution framework and KPIs.

Workshops:

• Introduction to the Judge Method – research‑driven entrepreneurial frameworks; KPI setting across three dimensions.
• Founder–Market Fit – founder conviction, purpose, domain expertise and resilience.
• Opportunity Mapping – problem framing, market pain, stakeholders, jobs‑to‑be‑done.

Deliverables: Founder agreement, venture mission statement, initial customer hypothesis.

Theme: Validating the customer problem and reducing uncertainty.

Workshops:

• Customer Discovery – interview design, discovery frameworks, signal extraction.
• Assumptions‑to‑Knowledge Framework – critical assumption mapping, risk prioritisation, validation experiments.
• Market Landscape Analysis – competitive awareness, industry mapping, opportunity gaps, competitor positioning.

Deliverables: Discovery insights report, assumption map and top 5 assumptions to test, customer personas, competitive landscape analysis.

Theme: Developing a compelling and defensible value proposition.

Workshops:

• Value Proposition Design – customer pains and gains, problem–solution fit, positioning.
• Business Model Fundamentals – revenue models, scalability, partnerships, unit economics, pricing.
• Deep‑Tech Commercialisation (optional) – regulatory considerations, technical risk, tech sovereignty, AI architecture.

Deliverables: Refined value proposition, business model draft, pricing hypothesis, KPI review and agenda for coaching.

Theme: Preparing ventures for experimentation and product/solution development.

Workshops:

• Rapid Testing & Working Towards MVP Design – feature prioritisation, lean experimentation, MVP frameworks, build‑vs‑buy.
• Product Roadmapping – technical milestones, development prioritisation, founder workflows.
• Validation Review Panel – external feedback, risk identification, product‑development KPIs.

Deliverables: Validation roadmap or MVP/prototype specification, product roadmap, validation evidence plan, 1‑month review presentation.

Theme: Advancing product development through testing and iteration.

Workshops:

• Building the Team Behind the Product – founder productivity, team communication, capacity building.
• AI Acceleration Tools – AI‑assisted workflows, productivity systems, automation tools, data infrastructure.
• Running a Product Development Sprint – framing product increments, prioritising work, practical sprint exercises.
• AI Product Development (optional) – technical sovereignty, responsible AI, data governance, debugging and scaling AI products.

Deliverables: Usable product increments and evidence of venture progression (MVP, prototype, technical validation or experimentation).

Theme: Building market entry and customer acquisition systems.

Workshops:

• Go‑to‑Market Architecture – distribution strategy, channels, market sequencing, early adopters.
• Founder‑Led Sales (optional) – early‑stage sales, pilot conversion, business development, partnerships.
• Marketing Fundamentals – narrative development, audience targeting, content for different platforms.

Deliverables: GTM strategy document, marketing scripts, traction experiment plan.

Theme: Building scalable venture operations.

Workshops:

• Startup Finance & Unit Economics – burn rate, runway, forecasting, financial milestones, unit economics.
• Legal, IP & Governance – founder equity, IP protection, freedom to operate, governance structures.
• Building Operational Capability – first hires, team design, process development, decision‑making frameworks.

Deliverables: Financial model, cap table draft, operational roadmap, IP and risk review.

Theme: Evaluating venture progress and refining strategic direction.

Workshops:

• Commercial Maturity Review – CML scoring, diagnostics, KPI assessment, readiness evaluation.
• Strategic Storytelling – founder narrative, market opportunity framing, vision communication, credibility signals.

Deliverables: KPI progression report, updated roadmap, revised strategic priorities.

Theme: Preparing ventures for fundraising and investor engagement.

Workshops:

• Fundraising Fundamentals – venture capital landscape, angel investment, non‑dilutive funding, fundraising strategy.
• Investment Pitch Deck Development – narrative structure, metrics, market framing, competitive differentiation.
• Investor Psychology – expectations, pattern recognition, trust signals, founder credibility.
• Climate Finance (optional) – sources, impact and carbon metrics, industrial partnerships, sustainability regulation.

Deliverables: Investor deck, one‑page executive summary, data room checklist, draft funding strategy document.

Theme: Driving measurable market momentum.

Workshops:

• Partnership & Ecosystem Strategy – strategic alliances, corporate engagement, ecosystem leverage.
• Communication Strategies – what to signal and validate, communicating like a CEO, addressing the unknown, pitches for different stakeholders.

Deliverables: Partnership pipelines, communication strategies and updated pitch decks.

Theme: Preparing founders for public presentation and investor engagement.

Workshops:

• Acceleration Day Preparation – pitch rehearsal, story compression, audience management, Q&A handling.
• Founder Leadership – decision‑making under uncertainty, situational leadership, team leadership, energy management, long‑term vision.

Deliverables: Final pitch deck, demo presentation, investor Q&A preparation, leadership development plan.

Theme: Presenting ventures and preparing for post‑programme growth.

Activities:

• Investor Day: venture presentations to selected investors, partners and ecosystem stakeholders.
• External Validation Review: panel assessment of venture and team maturity, commercial and investment readiness, and foundations for growth.
• Acceleration Day: public showcase of venture progress.

Deliverables: Post‑programme roadmap and actionable KPIs for the next 6–12 months.