Application Deadline: 12 pm, Monday 17th December 2021
LaunchMe is Scotland’s social enterprise accelerator. It prepares ambitious social enterprises and community organisations for growth so they can achieve social impact at scale. The programme selects a cohort of up to eight ambitious organisations each year to prepare them for growth and help them secure investment.
Eligibility
Social enterprises
Yes, if you are:
- An early stage or established social enterprise with ambitions to grow – you want to expand your services, reach new markets, and generate more social impact in the next 9-12 months.
- In need of support to develop and formalise systems and processes for your business.
- In need of investment and support to reach those ambitions.
- Incorporated as an asset-locked enterprise by the time the cohort is selected in March 2022.
- New to social investment- this is likely the first time you’ve considered investment to grow.
- Able to demonstrate evidence of sales and social impact. If you are not sure you have enough evidence, contact us to discuss your current situation before applying.
- Able to fully participate in the programme, attending regular online or in-person sessions between April and November 2022, applying learning and reporting back on progress.
Community organisations
Yes, if you are:
- Developing a community asset or a product with the potential to generate significant income and social impact in the local area.
- In need of investment and support to reach those ambitions.
- Well-connected within your community and with the buy-in of key stakeholder groups.
- Already constituted, with a supportive board of trustees.
- Working towards timescales that align with the programme (Apr-Nov 2022). For example, if the growth plans are dependent on the transfer of a community asset, the change of ownership will be already in place when the programme of support starts (April 2022).
- Able to fully participate in the programme, attending regular online or in-person sessions between April and November 2022, applying learning and reporting back on progress.
To be eligible for LaunchMe, your enterprise:
- Is based in Scotland and operating primarily for the benefit of people, or communities, in Scotland.
- Is not involved in political campaigning or the advancement of religion.
- Provides direct social benefit to individuals, communities and/or the environment.
- Is incorporated and has an asset lock (This means that profits from the enterprise are reinvested in the business and its social aims and cannot be transferred to private individuals or bodies). If not incorporated yet, you have identified the most suitable structure for the enterprise and expect to be incorporated by February 2022.
- Is ambitious, with aspirations for growth and has plans to scale up but has not yet secured appropriate investment to fund the plans.
- Does not provide any services/activities that statutory bodies have an obligation to provide.
Application Procedure
LaunchMe is an intensive programme that runs over four phases:
- FindMe: 12th October 2021- 17th January 2022. This is the recruitment and promotional phase. Attend an Information Webinar or set up a chat with the LaunchMe team if you are interested in applying. We’ll be reviewing applications regularly throughout this phase, so if we think your enterprise is not ready, we’ll discuss this with you and signpost you to the most suitable support.
- ChooseMe: January – March 2022. This is where the support starts. If eligible, we’ll ‘longlist you’ and invite you to attend our LaunchPad event at the end of January. We’ll then support you to put together your business plan and financials. The final plans are assessed against the programme priorities, and those with the most potential will be shortlisted to pitch in front of an Expert Panel in March 2022. The panel will select up to eight social enterprises to make the final cohort.
- ConnectMe: April – November 2022. An intensive nine months of support and hard work to get investment ready!
- LaunchMe: December 2022. You’ve secured investment and deliver your growth plans with light-touch support from us.
Official Website: LaunchMe Social Enterprise Accelerator
