How accelerators and incubators can boost your impact

What are incubators and accelerators?  

While used interchangeably, there are differences between incubators and accelerators. Incubators, as intimated, hatch ideas, get people together, and offer a mix of views.  

Accelerators on the other hand are more tailored. These programmes support growth through various tracks. They offer mentorship, strategic advice, early growth opportunities and exposure to outside investors. They typically focus on start-up problems like organisation and scale. 

Knight Frank, the property and tenant specialist observes that: “While incubators are designed to nurture an idea and help it become a business, startup accelerators take that business and give it the tools it needs to grow.” 

Accelerating your digital strategy 

Charity Digital is no stranger to accelerator programmes. Funded by OKTA, the original iteration of the Charity Digital Strategy Accelerator brought resources and tools to help charity leaders develop an effective digital strategy.  

Involving mentorship, the first cohort completed the accelerator in 2022 with the second one shortly after in 2023. Cumulatively, 22 organisations participated. Seventy percent of alumni reported they were able to implement positive digital practices. Ninety percent saw an increase in digital competency.  

Since then, the programme has evolved to become an online, self-led programme available for all charities for free. The programme gives you everything you need to create a digital strategy that is impactful, realistic, and forward-thinking. Follow the button below to find out more.

Introducing the Charity Digital Strategy Accelerator 

Propelling from ideas to investment

Incubators see similar results. London’s Bethnal Green Ventures is highly sought after for its expertise in the tech space. The incubator programme takes founders with great ideas across four workstreams.  

The first three months, called Tech For Good, includes an equity investment of £60,000 and professional coaching. The programme focuses on the launch journey. They coach founders to take ideas to commercialisation. An important outcome here is to be “investment ready”. Leaders need to home in on how to share their ideas and attract outside funding.  

Launching your charity 

Charity Entrepreneurship also has a track record of launching impactful charities. Over the past six years, the group has propelled 50 charities into reality, reports UK Fundraising.  

The programme starts with an application and acceptance into the incubator. The programme funds the cost of basic expenses for founders. The eight-week programme refines charity impact ideas in preparation for investment. Founders and entrepreneurs work on their impact proposals. They also learn basic operational and budgeting skills, along with impact assessment. At the end of the programme, the charity proposal is circulated to a network of seed investors. The goal is to launch the charity with external investment.  

Graduates of the Charity Entrepreneurship programme are innovative and evidenced-based. In 2025, two charities have graduated. Of note, Radius Institute for Road Safety prevents road accidents by creating greater political will and plugging gaps in data. Founder Larissa Vaughan-Rowe, a traffic accident survivor herself, graduated from Charity Entrepreneurship and was awarded $132,000 in seed funding. The impact report tells the full story of how speed and road safety in low- and middle-income countries save lives.   

The Charity Entrepreneurship model has expanded beyond its incubator role. Ambitious Impact (AIM) sprouted out of the original programme and now has three different streams. Founding to Give, AIM Grantmaking Program and AIM Research Program (the research programme is being reshaped for 2026), tackle start-up challenges of idea validation, philanthropic organisation and evidence-based research.