Fashioneers Accelerator Program Development
Building Spain’s first fashion tech accelerator, from the ground up. Designing, developing and implementing the program with our partners, mentors, and startups from around the world.
Fashioneers Accelerator
Fashioneers Accelerator was Spain’s first fashion tech accelerator. The program launched 2017, in partnership with Barcelona-based Moda22 fashion incubator and Universitat Pompeu Fabra’s Tecnocampus in Mataro, Spain. Its focus was at the convergence of fashion, science and technology, and had mentors and startup participants from the USA, Asia, and several countries across Europe.
What Was Needed
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The fashion industry was rapidly transforming, being disrupted by technology, but there was a lack of support of fashion tech startups. In Barcelona, there was an opportunity to forge a collaboration with the fashion incubator Moda22 Makers, the Universitat Pompeu Fabra’s Tecnocampus Reimagine Textile initiative, and a new venture that would become Spain’s first fashion tech accelerator: Fashioneers Accelerator.
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This was a venture built from the ground up, which was particularly distinct because it was a venture whose mission was to support the creation and development of other ventures. The goal was to get to market with a viable accelerator program, with high quality startup participants, an impactful mentor network and program, and to build a profitable and versatile accelerator business.
How We Did It
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Fashioneers Accelerator was a 3-month accelerator program, focused specifically on fashion/retail tech startups. We had 12 startup participants from Spain, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, Israel, and the USA. It boasted a mentor network of over 120 mentors spread across 3 continents, and workshops delivered by top leaders in their field.
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As Managing Director of Fashioneers, together with our team, we built this accelerator program from the ground up. In order to successfully build this program, my role was to engage with the ecosystem and all of its relevant stakeholders, bring them together through a variety of synergies and incentives, and to build and implement the program including the methodology, mentor network, strategic partnerships, and startup recruitment.
The Results
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Several of the portfolio companies are still in business, having raised multiple rounds of capital and achieving profitability, continuing on the legacy of the program. The program generated serious interest for franchise programs in the USA, Asia and other locations around Europe. In addition, Fashioneers developed corporate engagement and collaboration with Fortune 500 companies and leading corporates in the fashion/retail industry.
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Fashioneers was a pioneer in establishing a viable fashion tech accelerator program, serving as a credible model for other programs to spawn in subsequent years. It helped support game-changing ventures, that are transforming the industry to this day, for a more sustainable and positive impact in the fashion industry.
