UNiDAYS backs new student startup accelerator with Canopy Community and StudentVenture

UNiDAYS teams up with Canopy Community and StudentVenture on a six-week national accelerator aimed at turning student startup ideas into investor-ready businesses.

UNiDAYS has announced a new Student Startup Accelerator for UK-based students and recent graduates, working with Canopy Community and StudentVenture to support early-stage founders over a six-week program.

UNiDAYS operates a student verification platform worldwide, including 2.8 million students in the UK. Its platform connects students, graduates, and young professionals to discounts and earning opportunities through a network of more than 800 brands.

Applications for the accelerator are now open, with up to 100 participants expected to join the first cohort.

Josh Rathour, Founder of UNiDAYS, says: “The next generation of entrepreneurs are determined, creative and ambitious. It’s hugely important that we give this talent the opportunity to thrive, which is why UNiDAYS is launching this new accelerator - to empower young people to play an active role in the UK’s growing startup ecosystem. There’s nothing more inspiring than seeing new ideas take shape, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the ventures being developed by students and graduates from across the UK.”

Six-week accelerator leads to April 2026 pitch day

The accelerator will run over six weeks and is positioned as an “internationally recognised” program delivered by Canopy Community. Founders will work on identifying and strengthening core ideas, validating concepts through customer insight, and building early pitch decks and other first-stage assets.

The format combines workshops with practical outputs, including pitch practice and investor readiness sessions. The emphasis is on getting students to test assumptions, generate evidence from potential customers, and get used to presenting their businesses to external audiences.

The program will conclude with a Pitch Day on Friday April 17 2026. Ten finalists will be selected to present their startups on a national stage to a panel of judges made up of investors and industry figures.

Entrepreneur and investor Simon Squibb will join the panel and is expected to play a role in highlighting high-potential founders. For students, this sets up a competitive funnel: a relatively broad entry at the application stage, filtered down to 100 participants and then 10 finalists who pitch live.

Applications for the Student Startup Accelerator are open until Sunday January 4 2026.

Partners target access, networks, and early validation

The accelerator brings together three organizations with different roles in the early-stage ecosystem. Canopy Community runs a global founder network and virtual incubation platform for entrepreneurs from idea to investment, with hubs in London and Lisbon. It offers peer support, mentorship, demo nights, and programs that help founders validate ideas, build MVPs, and prepare for investment.

StudentVenture focuses on early talent, working with educators, employers, and partners to connect students with opportunities and help them understand how different industries operate and evolve. For StudentVenture, the accelerator links directly to that mission.

Liam Jeffery at StudentVenture says: “Hosting this event is especially meaningful to me. Having started this journey building StudentVenture whilst at University, being able to reinvest back and give the next generation the medium to turn ideas into reality is super important to our mission, and is vital to both the future of young people and the UK's start-up ecosystem”.

Canopy Community’s involvement centers on removing barriers for first-time founders and making structured support available at the point where ideas are still being tested.

Stewart Noakes at Canopy Community adds: “Opening the door to entrepreneurship shouldn’t depend on your background, your network or your bank balance. Everyone deserves a world where there are zero barriers to starting something bold — and that begins with giving students the confidence to back themselves early. At Canopy Community we see, every day, how transformative it is when founders get the right validation, the right peers, and the right support at the moment their ideas first spark.

“This accelerator gives students across the UK the chance to shape their own path, build real customers, and create a future that reflects their ambition. I can’t wait to meet the founders who decide to start their journey now, not ‘one day’ — because their ideas genuinely have the power to shift what comes next.”

The ETIH Innovation Awards 2026

The EdTech Innovation Hub Awards celebrate excellence in global education technology, with a particular focus on workforce development, AI integration, and innovative learning solutions across all stages of education.

Now open for entries, the ETIH Innovation Awards 2026 recognize the companies, platforms, and individuals driving transformation in the sector, from AI-driven assessment tools and personalized learning systems, to upskilling solutions and digital platforms that connect learners with real-world outcomes.

Submissions are open to organizations across the UK, the Americas, and internationally. Entries should highlight measurable impact, whether in K–12 classrooms, higher education institutions, or lifelong learning settings.