Applications closed
Applications for the Creative Business Accelerator 2025 are now closed.
Creative Business Accelerator 2025
UAL’s Creative Business Accelerator is a program for graduates with active businesses ready to grow. It offers workshops, tailored support from industry professionals, mentoring, peer coaching, and a participation bursary.
Developed by UAL Careers and Employability with Google for Startups,, this program equips you with the tools to build a sustainable, successful creative business and expand your professional network.
Who can apply?
To be eligible to apply you must:
- be a UAL graduate who has been awarded a Bachelor, Masters or PhD degree
- have graduated from UAL within the last 5 years (between 2020-2024)
- be a founder or co-founder of a business trading in the UK
- be based in UK and able to attend in person and participate fully in the programme.
For you application to be considered you must:
- already be running a creative business (which could be a social enterprise or commercial) or developing a product that has potential commercial intellectual property value
- have spent at least a year on enterprising activity to develop your business/product idea
- have developed some form of income generation for your business/product idea
- have an existing customer/client base.
We particularly welcome applications from those currently underrepresented in the creative and digital industries. This includes students and graduates who are: disabled or have a specific learning disability; Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic; LGBTQ+; are the first in their family to attend university; or are from a low socio-economic background.
How to apply and deadlines
Before you start your application make sure you have read all the information on this web page.
Key dates
- 16 April - Online session providing information about eligibility and how to apply.
- 16 May, 9am (BST) – deadline for applications.
- Week commencing 28 May – you will be advised if you have been shortlisted.
- Week commencing 2 June – shortlisted applicants interview and presentation.
- Week commencing 9 June – you will be advised if you have been selected for the programme.
- 17 July – Accelerator programme starts.
- Mid Nov – Accelerator programme ends.
Step 1 – online application
Complete the application form (Word doc, 54KB). You will be asked to talk about:
- your creative business
- your plans for developing and growing it
- how you will benefit from taking part in the Accelerator programme
- your business financials – including financial forecast
- how you will contribute as an active member of the group.
If you would prefer to submit a filmed application, please see below for guidelines to help with filming your application before you make your application.
Step 2 – submitting your application
Complete the online Creative Business Accelerator submission form.
You will be asked to attach your application form and can include one document of additional materials i.e. visuals/designs of your work.
Step 3 - shortlisting
Applicants will be shortlisted by a panel and those that best meet the selection criteria will be invited to a panel presentation.
Step 4 – interview and panel pitch
To assess suitability for the programme, shortlisted applicants will be required to pitch their business to a panel.
Step 5 – selection
Successful applicants will be invited to join the Accelerator. Before the start of the programme there will be an onboarding process.
Please note that all decisions are final.
Supporting you
If you have any questions or believe there are any barriers to your participation in this opportunity or you have any access requirements you wish to discuss, we would be happy to talk to you. Please contact us in advance at enterprise@arts.ac.uk.
What we are looking for
We are looking for participants who:
- have plans for the growth of their business
- show how taking part in the Accelerator aligns with their business plans and will benefit them
- are committed to contributing to and learning from other Accelerator participants
- have a business that is innovative or offers a unique creative product or service.
Your commitment to the programme
You must agree to:
- Commit to attending all sessions during the programme.
- Commit to being active in developing your business between sessions.
- Commit to attend all sessions with your assigned mentor
- Prepare for and follow up on all training and one-to-one sessions.
- Commit to actively engage in creating a supportive community with other participants.
- Complete all evaluation questionnaires.
- Give back a total of 6 hours to student enterprise learning at UAL.
Guide for filming your application
If you would like to submit your application by film, read the the guidance points below before you get started.
Filming requirements
- Your application should be a no more than 8 minutes long.
- Film in landscape.
- Answer all the questions on the application form.
- Include a link to your film (uploaded to YouTube / Vimeo or similar) and if it is password protected don’t forget to include the password with your link.
Tips for filming directly to camera
- You can film using your phone, a camera or on your computer.
- If you’re using your phone or camera and don’t have a tripod, prop it up using something like a book so that you don’t have to hold it the whole time.
- Make sure you are well-lit. Put your light source (a window or lamp) in front of you.
- Centre yourself on the screen and film with the camera at eye level. Don’t shoot from below.
- Stand a few feet away from the backdrop if possible to avoid casting shadows on it.
- Make sure you film somewhere quiet to avoid background noise.
- If you’re filming on your phone, use the back camera, which generally records higher-quality footage than the front-facing “selfie” camera.
- Avoid clothes with thin stripes or busy patterns, which can cause feedback on the camera.
- Don’t use the zoom function on a smartphone. It degrades the quality of the footage.
- Read through the application form and prepare your questions in advance. You might want to use notes or cue cards to help you while recording your video responses.
- Rephrase the questions at the beginning of your response e.g. ‘my business is a...”; “my 5 year plans are...”
- Be yourself; we want to get a sense of who you are and how you will benefit from taking part in the Creative Business Accelerator.
- Check the audio and video quality are clear before you include the link in your application form
Any questions?
If you need any further guidance, please contact enterprise@arts.ac.uk.
What the programme includes
A bursary will be awarded to allow participants to attend and take part fully in all aspects of the programme. The bursary will be paid at stages during the programme and is dependent on meeting key milestones.
Through the programme, you'll learn to:
- Plan strategically for growth
- Improve your business model
- Price your work and plan financially
- Manage cash flow and budget
- Develop your brand and reach target clients
- Understand and value your IP
- Pitch and create a funding plan
- Manage your time effectively
The programme also offers opportunities to:
- Develop leadership skills
- Gain confidence in business decisions
- Plan for business growth
- Identify and develop potential markets
- Expand your industry network
Programme format
- Dates are to be confirmed but will likely take place every Thursday 17 July – 13 November, 11am – 3.30pm.
- At the end, you’ll present a pitch to a panel of experts and investors.
- You will be matched with an industry professional who will provide mentoring support between November 2025 – April 2026.
Who else will be on the programme?
The programme will include around 10 UAL graduates from various creative disciplines, including fashion, tech, social enterprise, art, and design.
Participants will represent a mix of product and service businesses, reflecting the diverse courses and practices at UAL.
Meet the 2025 cohort
Charlie Ann Buxton
ChenChen Studio
Chenchen Studio is an independent fashion brand based in London, devoted to the art of creative pattern cutting. Focused on crafting distinctive, well-fitting silhouettes, our designs blend playful imagination with refined craftsmanship.
Primarily a womenswear label, the studio also explores menswear and jewellery, bringing the same sense of thoughtful detail and expressive form to every piece.
Harry Power, TECHPACKIT
A technical package is a detailed technical document that provides a manufacturer with all the sketches, information and specifications they need to bring a garment to life – they are the blueprints needed to translate designs into a physical reality. We are the experts at creating those blueprints.
Hayley Jones, GoGX
GoGX is a beginner-friendly social enterprise helping Generation X (ages 45–60) take their first confident steps into the world of content creation and social media. Whether you're exploring a side hustle, seeking a creative outlet, or trying to stay relevant in your career, GoGX offers simple, supportive ways to get started.
Kewal Gala, Margene
Margene crafts timeless, size-inclusive trousers from luxury British deadstock fabrics, thoughtfully designed with built-in seam allowances and supported by a tech platform that provides free lifetime alterations through local tailoring partners - ensuring they always fit perfectly.
Nick Humphrey, Spark
Spark is on a mission to improve the wellbeing and social connection of older people, particularly those living with dementia, through uplifting, evidence-based digital experiences.
Our debut product makes use of advancing AI technology, together with a library of unique video content, to deliver highly engaging and hyper-personalised reminiscence activities at home.
Paula Llinas,
We are a creative studio rooted in storytelling, strategic design, and art direction, helping culture-forward brands stand out with clarity and conviction. We partner with founders and marketing teams to turn values into visuals and ideas into identities that connect.
Pedro Resendez, CALACA Press
CALACA Press is a publishing studio based in London, dedicated to developing
interdisciplinary projects led by Latin American creatives. We produce visual systems that take the form of books, magazines, moving image works, and public programmes that engage communities in dialogue around culture, identity, and territory.
Peiwen Hsieh, AVANTELIER
Sherron Culver, Bajan Beauty Balm
Bajan Beauty Balm is a luxury skincare brand that honours the traditional grooming rituals and ingredients of the beautiful island of Barbados. Founded by cosmetic chemist, aromatherapist, and skin specialist Sherron Holder-Culver, the brand pays tribute to her Bajan heritage and the lasting influence of the Windrush generation on British beauty culture. Celebrating authenticity, diversity, and inclusivity, the signature collection features ten luxurious body balms made with Barbados cherry, exotic butters, plant waxes, and pure essential oils.
Star Sun, INOASIS
INOASIS is the result of a successful cross-disciplinary collaboration bridging fine art, design, neuroscience, and perfumery. Its multisensory design research is integrated into a neuro-AI system, offering an interactive, human-centred design process for both commercial projects and domestic applications.
Yijuan Li, Sounteract
We develop innovative IoT products that empower neurodivergent individuals by alleviating challenges that can obscure their strengths. Through gamified, embodied interactions, our solutions bolster executive functions and support healthy dopamine regulation, thereby enhancing users’ focus and productivity in both work and learning contexts.
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