Accelerator programme opens its doors

[caption id="attachment_1672" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Dotforge team[/caption] Cause UK is proud to support Dotforge – a social accelerator for tech firms in the North of England, in partnership with our…

The Dotforge team

The Dotforge team

Cause UK is proud to support Dotforge – a social accelerator for tech firms in the North of England, in partnership with our client, Key Fund.

Applications are open for a new accelerator programme aimed at helping Yorkshire-based social enterprises get off the ground.

The latest round of support has been made available via Dotforge Impact – a partnership between Dotforge, a commercial accelerator for tech firms, Key Fund, the social investor, and The RSA, the globally recognised organisation.

Dotforge Impact has over £1m in funding from the Social Incubator Fund which is managed by the Big Lottery Fund.

It is running two accelerator programmes in 2015 offering tech-driven social entrepreneurs the opportunity to receive £30,000 in funding and the powerful business connections they need to realise positive social change.

The second accelerator is now open for applications, with the first already underway and supporting a range of socially-motivated businesses.

Sam Tarff, CEO of Key Fund, said: “Developing Dotforge was a natural step for Key Fund. We have over a decades’ experience creating successful social enterprises across the North of England, and we’re passionate about tapping into the power of technology and emerging tech entrepreneurs to use digital innovations for lasting and positive social impact.”

The new tech projects currently on the accelerator programme aim to impact the healthcare, education, leisure and charity sectors.

They include LearnerLane, a digital platform which aims to improve the feedback parents and children receive after private tuition lessons and helps parents keep track of private tuition and its impact on their child’s education.

Also benefitting from the programme is Open Cinema, which plans to use an app to bring film clubs into communities, enabling users to choose from their vast library of films, as well as curating film seasons, making posters.

Polen, meanwhile, is launching new technology that will make donating to charities easier. Polen has designed a browser plugin which allows consumers to make a donation during online purchases without incurring any cost.

Also on the programme is StrokeCare, a new App that aims to radically improve critical care for families caring for loved ones due to launch in the UK next spring.

Applications are now open for the second accelerator programme which starts in October. Applicants will receive £30,000 convertible investment with access to further funds following successful development of their enterprise.

Visit http://social.dotforgeaccelerator.com/ for more information.