Here at Eagle Labs, we understand that diversity is the cornerstone of innovation – the more unique perspectives you have available, the more opportunities you can identify.
We also recognise that more work needs to be done to create a level playing field for diverse founders in the UK. That’s why we champion inclusivity and celebrate founders who are at risk of being overlooked because of their race, gender, sexuality, disability, or neurodivergence.
Recently, we’ve been on a journey, partnering with award-winning organisations to make a lasting impact in diverse communities. Together, we’ve created dedicated programmes, enabled mentorship and facilitated local events to shine a light on businesses led by people from diverse backgrounds.
But the work isn’t over yet. We’re committed to addressing the complex challenges that diverse founders face and helping to create a fair entrepreneurial landscape. Through our partnerships and initiatives, we’re determined to continue driving positive change and reducing barriers to entry for diverse entrepreneurs.
How we support diverse founders
We partner with specialists to create programmes that help founders accelerate their growth, with themes including defining your value proposition, fundraising, scaling your business and pitching for success.
Female Founder Accelerator – powered by Eagle Labs and funded by the UK Government
In January 2024, we launched a nine-week accelerator programme, delivered by AccelerateHER.
The programme accelerated 100 female-led ventures past idea stage who had an ambition to scale and raise investment in the next 12 to 18 months.
During the programme, founders worked with experts from across the entrepreneurial landscape in a series of masterclasses, with the focus on developing their business propositions further. Founders also received one-to-one mentoring, accountability groups, a Barclays champion, in-person community networking, and a showcase event.
Black Founder Accelerator, in partnership with Foundervine
In 2024, we’ll run the fifth edition of this accelerator to support 50 black-led businesses through a series of 12 business strategy masterclasses, each delivered by experts on the topic.
These masterclasses will focus on topics such as defining your value proposition, hiring talent, sales strategy, marketing, intellectual property and more. They’re designed to set founders on the road to success.
Each founder will also have access to one-to-one mentoring and coaching from world-class scaleup experts.
Black Venture Growth Programme, powered by Eagle Labs and funded the UK Government
This dedicated 16-week programme focuses on boosting growth and removing barriers to fundraising with targeted support.
There are 20 spaces, and the programme is targeted at founders who are currently generating revenue or have venture capital backing. Ideally, the founders will also be planning to seek more investment within the next year.
We’re looking for Barclays Champions
Champions are critical to the success of start-ups and scale-ups and have a tremendous opportunity to impact their growth. Whilst the delivery partners will provide support for the programme, we are looking to provide founders with a Barclays Champions to support their journey for the duration of the programme.
Becoming a Barclays champion
As a champion you will serve as a mentor, a strategic sounding board, connector and trusted advisor for the entrepreneurs on our programmes. The commitment will be at least one session every two weeks with your assigned mentee over the duration of the programme you’re assigned to. As a champion, you recognise the magnitude of supporting entrepreneurs and agree to provide the best guidance in accordance with the highest ethical standards at all times.
You must be AVP and above in order to qualify as a Barclays Champion
Champion Commitment
- By participating you indicate your understanding that champions are not paid for their time and that you do not expect anything in return (no equity, no cash, no future contact, etc.), other than the satisfaction of helping those start-ups with whom you are matched to assist in developing talents and skills.
- Each mentoring relationship is different and depending on the founder to whom you are assigned, you may find that you need to give more or less time to the commitment.
- As this arrangement is voluntary, if you find that the needed time commitment exceeds what you are able to give, please let us know so we can work with you and the founder to reallocate adequate resources.
- In general, the mentoring relationship will continue as long as the team remains in the accelerator programme. If after the programme ends you are interested in continuing as a champion, you may continue this relationship outside of the programme.
FAQ’s
What can/can’t I talk about with my assigned mentee?
We are strictly not to offer any financial or banking advice. Champions are not here to push products or services and if a founder is interested in speaking with a member of the specialist team then this must go through the programme manager.
All information shared with the champion by the founder must be treated as confidential and cannot be disclosed without the founders permission.
If I am successful on becoming a champion, how will I find out and how will you communicate key dates and milestones?
The programme manager will inform you if you have been successfully paired with a founder on one of our programmes. The team communicates with champions via email and Teams throughout the programme.
I would rather support entrepreneurs on certain programmes, is this possible?
Please note that our programmes run at different times of the year and you cannot select preferred programmes to Champion. We understand this may put some colleagues out of their comfort zone, but we see real value in colleague skillset regardless of background, gender or even business unit!
I don’t work in BUK, can I still be a Champion?
Yes absolutely, we welcome applications from all business functions.
I have never been a Champion or a mentor before, what does good look like?
Your role as a champion is to hold the founder accountable for the duration of the programme as well as providing a new perspective on their proposition. Champions can facilitate internal introductions (if applicable) to colleagues if they see fit, e.g. if a founder would like additional support with marketing and you have a connection with a colleague who is willing to support, you can introduce them for a one off chat.
I have connected with my founder on social media, can I share their page?
We must not be seen to promote businesses as not all founders will go through KYC. Please do not promote any assets, websites or pages externally.
What if I struggle to commit to the relationship due to unforeseen circumstance?
Programme managers will work with you as we want everyone to enjoy the experience. If you feel you can no longer commit to the champion role, please let the assigned point of contact know first and we will re-assign the founder to another champion where appropriate.
What’s in it for me?
We recognise that colleagues have a wide range of skills and qualities and therefore become a champion purely out of satisfaction in helping start-ups and scale-ups develop their talents. This arrangement is voluntary and Champions are not paid for their time and do not expect anything in return, including but not limited to equity, cash or future contact etc. Champions will be able to log their volunteering hours on the Barclays Citizenship Portal