Three of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurial figures have joined forces to launch the next generation business accelerator – Moonshot Academy. Offering world-class mentorship, a no-nonsense approach and promising real cut through for pre-scale businesses to secure investment, Moonshot Academy will work with a small number of companies in the pre-scale-up stage that are ready to ‘create something special’.
Co-founded by leading business personalities; Jim Duffy MBE (co-founder Entrepreneurial Spark), Bill Morrow (Co-founder Angels Den) and Al Walker (Co-founder Siembra Coworking), Moonshot Academy will bring together some of the greatest entrepreneurial minds and experience in the world and partner with the most promising startups from ignition to fruition to make more millionaires.
Jim Duffy MBE and Co-founder comment: “We are incredibly excited and proud to be launching Moonshot Academy which will nurture and develop the next generation of entrepreneurs. The academy was founded to tackle the billion-dollar issue of companies failing to scale and optimise on return.
“Many business builders have the potential to become millionaires and create something sustainable, but because they don’t know what they don’t know, the chances for many are slim to zero. We are aiming to address that”.
Twenty spaces will be available at Moonshot Academy which is seeking the hardest working and high-performing startups to partner with for the long term. Moonshot Academy will help businesses be prepared, to learn and to succeed and will offer an industry first with its partner for life approach, staying with each business until exit.
Moonshot Academy, the next generation business accelerator will help its partners through three specific investment phases; Launchpad, Orbit and Moonshot.
- Launchpad will nurture start-ups with a validated business idea to develop a clear business plan and establish a strong company structure while raising up to £150,000 seed investment.
- Orbit will support entrepreneurs through pre-scale by perfecting a sound business model and advising on valuation and financial modelling. Leadership development and team building skills are also key components of this stage which will help companies secure up to £350,000 investment.
- The Moonshot will target founders who are ready to scale their business, aiming to raise over £1 million with plans to exit Moonshot Academy.
Combined, Duffy, Morrow and Walker have enabled more than £200 million in investment into companies they have worked with. The trio has a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, investment, and leadership.
Duffy previously co-founded the world’s largest free business accelerator, Entrepreneurial Spark while Morrow founded the online investment platform, Angels Den. Walker brings international experience into the mix co-founding Colombian based workspace sharing company, Siembra Coworking.
Discussing the company’s business model, Bill Morrow explained: “Our business model is simple, we only profit once our partner businesses profit. Moonshot Academy will take a small part of the equity in a business in return for our guidance, together we grow and when the time is right we exit. It’s a win-win situation.
“Too many early-stage businesses across the UK are failing to secure investment, and don’t fully understand how to effectively pre-scale their company. Businesses simply don’t know what they don’t know and that’s where we can help. Moonshot Academy was created to support and help navigate businesses through the entrepreneurial l jungle.”
CEO and co-founder of Moonshot Academy, Al Walker continued: “We are here to help make the entrepreneurs we work with even more amazing, giving them what they need to grow and scale their businesses.
“Jim, Bill and I have all been in their shoes, and know the challenges entrepreneurs face with managing early-stage businesses, we are passionate about being part of our partners’ future success and being part of their successful journey to Moonshot.”