This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Application Guide
for Tech Nation growth programmes
Support, resources and everything you need to know about applying to a Tech Nation sector programme, all in one place.
About the Application
How long does the application take to fill out?
We suggest you spend about an hour to fill out your application. Giving someone a clear and concise view of your business takes focus and dedication.
What will you do with the information we give you?
All data contained in this application will remain strictly private and confidential, and will not be shared outside of the judging panel. If there are any judges you think might present a conflict of interest, please do let us know.
Can I do it in more than one sitting?
We suggest you do! Review your answers and have a friend who is not familiar with your business read through the application – does it make sense to them? If not, it probably won’t for other people.
Can I apply to more than one programme?
Yes, and if you think you are eligible for more than one programme, we encourage that you do! If you’re eligible, it improves your chances of getting on a Tech Nation programme, and it’s quick and easy to do.
Here’s how:
Step 1: After completing your first application, start another application for a different programme as normal. It’s important you log into and use the same Survey Monkey Apply account.
> Log in to Survey Monkey Apply
> Go to the Programme landing page
> Click “Apply” to the programme of your choice
Step 2: Once your second application has been created, Survey Monkey will detect that there are already answers filled in for many (or all!) of the tasks. It will mark them with a green tick and as complete in the “Your tasks” menu.
The answers can still be edited to suit each individual application.
> Find the question you want to edit in the menu above and click on it. It will say “Read Only”
> Click on the three dots in the right-hand corner of the question.
> From the menu, select edit. This will allow you to change your answer.
Changing your answer in one application will not affect the others, as long as they have been submitted.
Step 3: For the programme-specific tasks that do not have the green tick, you’ll need to click into those tasks, answer the questions, and mark them as complete.
When all tasks are completed, submit your application as normal.
How much detail should I include?
You can be as detailed as you like, but ideally, it should not take a judge more than 15 minutes to read through your application. No matter the programme you’re applying for, here are a few basic things you should focus on:
- Avoid jargon and don’t be too technical
- Demonstrating good market knowledge and the ability to benchmark your company against a well-known business
- Focus on being open and honest about your business, don’t just say what the judges want to hear.
- Focus on communicating the reason why there is a need for your product or service
- You need to demonstrate that you have good traction, your achievements and product-market fit to support this.
- Show us the data! The more data points that you can add, the better. Sometimes the language used can be very sales-based, which can be hard to follow. Facts are more impactful and often more useful.
What if I don’t know which sector to apply for?
You could be eligible and also benefit from more than one of our sector programmes! Here are some tools you can use to determine what the best match is for you:
Contact the Entrepreneur Engagement Manager in your local area
Speak to the programme leads to find the programme most suitable for you:
Timescales and communication
What happens if my application is unsuccessful?
If this is the case, you will hear from us within three weeks of the judging being completed and we will inform you via email. If you haven’t heard from us, please make sure to check your spam filter before contacting us to hear about your application status. Because of the number of applications we receive, Tech Nation will not be able to offer individual feedback.
Timescales and important dates for applicants:
- Applications open: 10th of June 2020
- Applications close: 20th of July 2020
- Applications reviewed and judging: 3rd – 17th August
We expect you to get the results by the end of August/early September. If you haven’t heard from us, please make sure to check your spam filter before contacting us to hear about your application status.
What happens if I get on the programme?
If your application is successful, you will hear from us within three weeks of the judging being completed. We will then also inform you via email, where we will tell you more about what we have in store for you, and how the PR announcement of the cohort will work. If you haven’t heard from us, please make sure to check your spam filter before contacting us to hear about your application status.
Timescales and important dates for applicants:
- Applications open: 10th of June 2020
- Applications close: 20th of July 2020
- Applications reviewed and judging: 3rd-17th August
- Company onboarding: 24th – 31st August
- Announcement: End of September
- Kickoff and first session: Mid to end October
Checklist
Prepare before starting your application
- Names and brief professional backgrounds of all the founders
- A short description of what your company does and links to your websites and social channels (if you have them)
- A high-quality logo:
Files we prefer: .ai or .eps
Files that also work: .png and jpeg can work, but the files should be as large as possible.
Headshot of founder/s:
Your vision, mission and values
- Your financial info, investment info and investment plans
- Defined goal and future plans
Tips for applying to specific programmes
We gathered some tips and guidance from our Programme Leads and our experienced judges on how you can make your application stand out during our sector callout. No matter how many programmes you may be eligible for or plan to apply for, these are their top tips and guidance.
What defines a great application?
Although we expect to receive many applications from various sub-sectors of the fintech universe, the very best applications will have a number of common elements. Generally, they will be:
- Concise. Articulating everything about your company in a concise manner will be critical. The judges will be assessing numerous entries and those which can be understood easily (and quickly) will have an advantage
- Clear. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity around the problem you are trying and why you believe your company is best placed to solve it
- Unique. Inevitably, many applications will be looking at solving similar problems, therefore communicating the uniqueness of your solution – and who’s building it – will be a key differentiating factor
- Honest. Of course, this is the time to highlight why your company is special, but it’s most important that this is an honest reflection.
Top 3 tips for Fintech applicants
- Gain an outside perspective. This is your company and occasionally it can become difficult to ‘see the wood for the trees’. Try to get feedback on various elements of your application with someone who has a limited understanding of your company, because that’s the position the judges will be in.
- Highlight your traction. What you’ve achieved to date is one of the best ways we can assess you on your ability to achieve your vision. Clearly show any metrics, partnerships, clients etc. that indicate you can become a category leader
- Think about your language. These applications will be judged by experts in a variety of FinTech subsectors, but they won’t be experts in all of them. Therefore it’s important to make sure the language used in your application is not too technical, without oversimplifying your solution
How to make your application stand out
- Shout about your people. We all know that most top fintechs are created by teams that have a balance of industry and technical expertise, which is why it’s imperative that it comes through in your application
- We love to see strong metrics. Unsurprisingly, as people working within FS, we love numbers. If you can show strong data demonstrating traction and growth, you’ll really stand out
- Product-market fit. I know you will hear this again and again, but it’s super important. We want to see that your company is solving a problem and that customers are willing to pay for your solution.
- A clear path to scale. A key element your company will be judged on is scalability. Therefore, highlighting your ability and plan to scale your business will be key.
Possible pitfalls and things to watch out for
- Avoid name-dropping for the sake of it. We are very interested partners/clients you have, but these relationships need to be meaningful. The best way to demonstrate this is by clearly articulating what your relationship actually is e.g. paying client, pilot client, distribution partner etc.
- Focus on what is important. It’s tempting to put as much as possible into the application, but the quality is far more important than quantity. Really think about the key things you’d want a judge to remember about your company after reviewing your application.
- Tell your story. Avoid trying to say what you think the judges want to hear. You all have a unique story and that’s the one we’d really like to hear.
- Don’t leave it to the last minute. We know that this application will take a reasonable amount of time, so it’s best to start it early and maybe even come back to it with fresh eyes a few days later.
For Applied AI applicants
What defines a great application?
A great application for Applied AI succinctly, clearly and with evidence articulates what the company does, why it is unique, and why it would be a good fit for the programme. Areas that judges will consider favourably might be:
- A stellar team, either through their technical or commercial expertise, or both;
- Potential for scale, both in terms of ambition and market size;
- A clear articulation of differentiation (why is this unique?) and defensibility (why can’t this be copied?);
- A genuine application of artificial intelligence as core to the product;
- Compelling evidence of traction and velocity (either commercially, product development, or both); and
- Authenticity. Be yourself; don’t second guess the judges.
Top tips for companies applying to Applied AI
- Write clearly and get straight to the point. You do not need to communicate everything several times, rather include what matters, exclude anything superfluous, and describe your company with clarity. Writing an essay for each question will dilute your impact.
- Don’t hold back. Modesty is not a virtue here. This is your opportunity to shout loudly about all of your achievements, uniqueness, and potential. But do make sure you keep it honest.
- Don’t forget to sell your team. This is often the most important part of the application. Judges will want to know the story behind the company and thus what drives you. They’ll want to know what experience you have and why your team is best-placed to solve the problem you set out to fix. What makes you, ‘you?’
- Do be specific about your use case of artificial intelligence. We want to see genuine use cases with defensibility.
How to make your application stand out
- Use data. Clear facts and evidence help judges immensely.
- Every startup will have gaps and we don’t expect perfection. Rather, think through what sets your company apart from every other company out there and make sure you articulate that clearly. In this case, if novel technology is the main source of defensibility, then the judges will want to understand (at a high-level) your approach and the team behind it. Likewise, that might be true for commercial expertise or partnerships.
- Focus on your team as much as you do your product.
- Judges will want to understand scalability. What’s your ambition for the company? And how big could this be?
- Don’t neglect the final questions on what you want to take out of the programme. Firstly, it helps tailor the programme to be most useful. Secondly, we want to see founders who are genuinely eager to learn from each other, are open to what they want to develop, and have thought about what they want to both give to and take from the programme.
Possible pitfalls and things to watch out for:
- An MMC report stated that “40% of AI companies do not really use AI.” The judging panel will therefore be on alert, so do be specific.
- Don’t rush your application – it’s a highly competitive process – but don’t spend hours and hours on this either; that’s usually a sign you may be writing too much. You’re a busy founder and you have a business to build after all! Be comprehensive in your answers, but don’t be verbose.
For Net Zero applicants
What makes a great application?
A great application will make an articulate and compelling case for how the company helps the UK achieve it’s Net Zero targets. We have to set ambitious goals to achieve a reduction in global temperature- and to learn to adapt to a carbon damaged world- and we are looking for founders and businesses that demonstrate both ambition and the potential to scale.
We’ve opened applications to a broad number of industries including electricity & energy, transport & mobility, agriculture, food systems, manufacturing and building technology so we want to understand the impact you believe your company will have on your sector and ultimately- on our planet.
The best applications demonstrate succinctly, clearly and with evidence: what the company does, why it is unique, and why it would be a good fit for the programme.
What are we looking for in a Net Zero company?
- Potential for impact: The change that your company can make in the world. What are the points of leverage you will exploit to achieve this impact?
- Your superstar team: Highlight their expertise (technical or commercial)
- Product market fit: Are you solving a problem that customers are willing to pay for?
- Potential for scale: Do you have the ambition to scale and the total addressable market to do so?
- Traction: Make a clear case for your growth (commercially, product development or both)
Top 3 tips for Net Zero applicants
- Be clear about your traction. If possible, make a metrics-driven case for yourself. If not, talk about your clients specifically. I.e paying client, pilot client, distribution partner etc.
- Be honest. Share your true blockers and challenges. Start-ups are never perfect and no-one expects them to be.
- Tell us what you hope to gain from the programme. We tailor the programme to you and want a group of founders who are truly engaged with the peer network
How to make your application stand out
Be yourself and authentically share your vision for your business, your current metrics and blockers.
Possible pitfalls and things to watch out for
Don’t forget to:
- Keep it concise: Remember that judges view multiple companies and a clearly articulated case tends to win out
- Avoid jargon: Your application may be viewed by a judge who isn’t an expert in your field- so make it clear for them to understand.
- Demonstrate your ambition: Scaling up a business takes grit and perseverance. Make the case for why you and your team will be able to make this journey. Don’t undersell yourself!