The Founder Institute, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women, and the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation (BEDC), is proud to announce the launch of the Rise & Scale: Bermuda Business Accelerator. This initiative is part of the UN’s Joint Sustainable Development Goals Programme titled "Building Back Equal through Innovative Financing for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment for the Bahamas and Bermuda." The program is designed to break down barriers for entrepreneurs who have historically faced exclusion from financial opportunities and social networks, particularly women, youth, and persons living with disabilities.
As the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, Founder Institute is excited to advance this initiative, which aims to foster an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Rise & Scale accelerator will connect 20 high-potential businesses from Bermuda to a global network of investors, founders, and mentors, ensuring they gain the financial tools, business sharpness, and resilience needed to thrive in today’s challenging economic climate.
A Global Platform for Bermuda’s Entrepreneurs
The five-week intensive accelerator program, which runs from September 19 to October 17, 2024, is being hosted virtually from Silicon Valley and will conclude with a live pitch forum in Hamilton, Bermuda. This event will be streamed globally, providing participating founders with a rare opportunity to showcase their businesses to international investors, including angel investors and venture capitalists from the Founder Institute’s global investor network.
The program will also give participants access to Founder Institute’s mentorship network of over 35,000 global investors, founders, and ecosystem partners. With such unprecedented access, the selected businesses will be equipped with the leadership skills, financial preparation, and market insights necessary to compete on a global scale.
Empowering Marginalized Entrepreneurs
Founder Institute’s global network will play a pivotal role in addressing the systemic disadvantages that entrepreneurs in Bermuda face, such as limited access to capital, unpaid care burdens, and digital barriers. The program’s mission is to accelerate gender equality and economic empowerment by providing participants with mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs and investors from Bermuda, the Bahamas, and beyond.
Wayne Beecher, Co-Director of Founder Institute Jamaica, expressed his enthusiasm, saying:
We are thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking initiative, which aligns with our commitment to democratizing entrepreneurship on a global scale. By empowering marginalized entrepreneurs, we are laying the foundation for future economic resilience in Bermuda.
Collaboration for Long-Term Economic Impact
Founder Institute is partnering with key Bermuda stakeholders, including the BEDC, to deliver the program’s core elements such as business development, impact measurement, and leadership training. The program’s long-term goal is to serve as a blueprint for how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) can implement sustainable, inclusive, and financially equitable entrepreneurship ecosystems.
This collaboration will not only empower Bermuda’s entrepreneurs but will also create a model for inclusive innovation and economic resilience. We are ensuring that historically marginalized founders can now step into leadership roles within Bermuda’s growing innovation and entrepreneurship sectors.
said Taneallea Feddis, Co-Director of Founder Institute Jamaica.
About The Rise & Scale: Bermuda Business Accelerator
This accelerator promises to reshape the entrepreneurial landscape, providing much-needed financial and social inclusion for Bermuda’s future business leaders.
For more information, visit this link.
About Founder Institute
Founder Institute is the world's largest pre-seed startup accelerator, with chapters across more than 200 cities and programs in over 100 countries. It provides aspiring entrepreneurs with a step-by-step program to launch a startup, including mentorship, curriculum, and a global network of entrepreneurs.
The Founder Institute is the world’s most proven network to turn ideas into fundable startups, and startups into global businesses. Since 2009, our highly-structured accelerator programs have helped entrepreneurs raised over $1.85BN in funding across over 200 cities worldwide.
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