Tech entrepreneurs in Liverpool city region can apply to join a Silicon Valley start-up accelerator programme – but you only have two days to do it. Tony McDonough reports

A new business support programme for tech start-ups run out of Silicon Valley in California is open to applications from Merseyside businesses. But you have to be quick.

Startup Grind is the world’s largest start-up community, designed to “educate, inspire, and connect” entrepreneurs. It brings like-minded individuals together via events, conferences, startup membership, partner membership, student and investor programmes.

Founded in Silicon Valley, Startup Grind now has chapters in 600 cities across 125 countries. It collectively reaches more than 5m individuals worldwide.

Local entrepreneur Jonny Clark is director of the Liverpool Startup Grind chapter. In April, LBN reported how Jonny had flown to the US. He was representing more than 100 Mersey start-ups at the Startup Grind Global Conference in Redwood in California.

Returning from the conference Jonny revealed that Startup Grind is launching what it says is the world’s first community-owned accelerator. Jonny said: “I am excited to announce that our start-up programme of business support is now open for membership applications from all suitable tech start-ups.

“Companies participating in this highly-rated business support experience are also eligible to be fast-tracked onto our selective, elite accelerator programme – the ‘SG DAO’. This will give a significant cash injection ($100,000) to the companies who make it onto it.

READ MORE: Extra £3.2m to support city region start-ups

The Liverpool Startup Grind chapter brings together entrepreneurs from more than 100 early stage tech companies. It meets monthly at Chapters of Us in the Baltic Triangle area of the city.

Invitations to apply for both the Startup Program and the SG DAO Accelerator are now open until Friday, June 17. Interested local companies can click here.

Stage one of the process is to apply for the start-up programme. This offers benefits such as: mentoring, access to private events, conferences, and summits. It also included introductions to other founders, exclusive partner credits and discounts and a member-only Slack community and newsletter.

Jonny is also able to refer early-stage startups to the membership, and by extension the DAO, directly.