Radia Accelerator Welcomes Applications From Female Tech SaaS Co-Founders for 2024 Cohort

Radia Accelerator, a programme created to help women with operational tech experience build and advance their companies, is now welcoming applications for its 2024 cohort.The accelerator programme, created by AlbionVC and Speedinvest, will run from September to November 2024 and offer female co-founders access to extensive networks, and knowledge-sharing opportunities, and provide practical know-how through a mix of in-person half-day workshops and virtual sessions.Of the 450 unicorns in Europe, only 38 have a female co-founder and only 11 are in SaaS. Radia’s mission is to accelerate the growth journeys of startups with women co-founders, contributing to a more inclusive industry landscape.Ed Lascelles, an AlbionVC partner, discussed the aims of the accelerator programme: “Following a successful launch in 2023, AlbionVC and SpeedInvest have partnered for the return of the Radia Accelerator programme.“By providing the necessary tools, networks, and support, we are committed to bridging the gender gap in SaaS and fostering the next generation of female tech leaders. Through the programme and ongoing partnership, we are playing a role in empowering the next generation of women in the tech sector and I am delighted to be part of the programme.”Deepali Nangia, partner at Speedinvest, also added: “Through the Radia programme, we are creating a supportive ecosystem where female founders can thrive, innovate, and lead their startups to success. Our partnership with AlbionVC is dedicated to breaking down barriers and unlocking opportunities for women in the SaaS sector.”Supporting female founders in techRadia Accelerator also boasts significant support from the tech community, with new programme partners this year including Snowflake, Aviva, Creandum and Seedcamp.Ryan Lieber, startup program manager EMEA at Snowflake, commented: “Snowflake is thrilled to partner with AlbionVC and its Radia Accelerator to champion female-founded startups that will play a crucial role in transforming the tech landscape. Through the Radia Accelerator programme, our goal is to help establish a strong foundation on which the founders can build a robust and scalable business and then continue to be a partner to them as they mature as an organisation.”The inaugural programme, held in spring 2023 received widespread support from the European investor and founder ecosystem. Participants included GPs from Notion Capital, Balderton Capital, Dawn Capital, Connect Ventures, and notable entrepreneurs such as Natasha Ratanshi-Stein of Surfboard, Nina Mohanty of BloomMoney, Anh-Tho Chuong of Lago, and Simone Maini of Elliptic.The 2023 programme successfully helped create nine early-stage companies, with feedback from the cohort of 25 women from diverse ethnic and professional backgrounds, averaging a strong 8.2 rating.Aleezay Malik, co-founder & CEO of healthtech insurance startup Armour Labs, described the experience as “one of the most useful on my entrepreneurial journey.” Vaishnavi Khullar, co-founder of Rehuman, also said: “The programme helped me connect the dots as a founder, broadened my network, and boosted my confidence and self-belief.”Radia is a pro-bono initiative with no equity taken. In 2023 financial support was provided by AWS, HSBC Innovation Banking, as well as Smoosmith.