Coinbase, Fabric Ventures, Animoca Brands, and Founders Factory have unveiled a multi-million-pound accelerator program in the United Kingdom, aimed at reshaping the nation’s blockchain and artificial intelligence landscape. This new initiative is designed to help emerging disruptors achieve product-market fit and growth, while simultaneously promoting investment in technology startups as a key driver of the UK economy.
The program promises to deliver comprehensive business and growth training through Founders Factory, offering hands-on guidance across multiple areas such as business strategy, go-to-market approaches, product development, and fundraising. In addition, Fabric Ventures, Animoca Brands, and Coinbase will provide specialized support, focusing on tokenomics, community go-to-market strategies, and best practices for scaling ventures in the blockchain and AI sectors. Founders selected for the inaugural cohort are set to receive funding of up to £250,000 each, giving them a significant boost as they work to establish themselves in a competitive market.
Robby Yung, CEO of Investments at Animoca Brands, emphasized the importance of the UK capitalizing on the rapid growth of the Web3 industry. He conveyed that the nation should not merely act as a hub for investment but also emerge as a creator, owner, and scaler of innovation. Yung stressed that true opportunity lies in developing intellectual property locally by leveraging the UK’s world-class talent pool and dynamic ecosystem.
Richard Muirhead, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Fabric Ventures, shared his perspective on the broader vision of the initiative. He noted that although the UK Government’s AI Action Plan has generated significant optimism, it represents only part of the larger equation. Muirhead pointed out that the convergence of AI, blockchain, and Web3 aligns closely with the UK’s existing strengths, particularly in fields such as financial services, advertising, and pharmaceuticals. He indicated that fostering collaboration among these industries would be crucial for the UK to maintain its leadership position in the global digital economy. He added that the accelerator would play an instrumental role in driving this necessary progress.
Damian Routley, COO at Founders Factory, highlighted the unique challenges that founders in blockchain and AI face today. He remarked that access to capital alone is insufficient, and that what founders truly need is specialized, hands-on support to achieve product-market fit and successfully expand to global markets. Routley expressed that the accelerator aims to fulfill this need by combining deeptech expertise with the strength of a world-class network, ultimately serving as a launchpad for the next generation of UK-based frontier technology startups.
The accelerator initiative represents a concerted effort to strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in digital innovation. With backing from some of the biggest names in blockchain, venture capital, and startup incubation, it is poised to create a supportive environment where cutting-edge ideas can thrive and scale internationally.