Top hardware accelerators & innovation hubs for founders in 2026

Hardware and embedded tech startups succeed faster when they plug into the right place. If you’re building a product, it’s helpful to be part of a community as well as get tangible support like access to prototyping tools, DFM guidance, supplier networks, regulatory expertise and investor relationships. This blog explains what an innovation hub is, how different programmes like an accelerator fit in, why the UK is a brilliant place to build the next generation of embedded tech, and how this compares to the rest of the world.

In short: where innovation happens. This can be defined in two ways: 

• Innovation hub (city/region): A dense ecosystem of universities, suppliers, contract manufacturers, investors, talent and pilot customers. It’s a larger network that thrives on connections. Examples of city-scale hubs include Shenzhen, Cambridge and Austin (more on this later). 
• Site-level hub (lab, incubator or accelerator): A place you go to get hands-on work done. For example, an accelerator that offers access to labs, 3D printers, quick-turn PCB services, and mentor hours for a set amount of time.

Ultimately, finding an ‘innovation hub’ means finding a place where startups feel supported and are surrounded by other innovators – a space to collaborate, learn, and thrive..

The UK is one of the best places in the world to build and scale an embedded-tech product. It blends specialist manufacturing, clinical validation routes, world-class university research, and targeted startup support. Even better, many programmes work together, creating an ecosystem that drives innovation forward. Whether you’re prototyping, preparing for manufacture, or seeking regulatory approval, you’ll find tailored programmes designed to help hardware founders succeed. Here are our top four. 

1. The Embedded Accelerator by ANDtr

What it is: Our very own 12-week programme, designed especially for startups developing embedded electronics.  Unlike general tech programmes, it focuses on Design for Manufacture (DFM), rapid prototyping, and regulatory readiness. 

Who it’s for: Early-stage UK innovators –  startups, SMEs, or university spinouts – working on embedded hardware at TRL 2 or higher. Ideal if you’re building a regulated or manufacturable device.

 Support you get:

• Expert mentoring from embedded electronics veterans and business specialists.
• Design-for-manufacture and supply chain support 
• Up to £25,000 match-funded prototype development 
• Boutique co-lab space
• Rapid prototyping and 3D printing

Cost: A minimum investment of £5,000, with ANDtr contributing two-thirds of the development costs thereafter. In return, we’ll agree on a startup-friendly license with simple buy-back terms and no equity dilution. You keep 100% ownership of your business.

Apply today: The Embedded Accelerator by ANDtr.

 

2. NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP)

What it is: CEP is the NHS’s flagship innovation programme helping healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs bring medical technologies to market. It offers clinical access, mentoring (including ANDtr’s own experts), and direct NHS pilot opportunities, invaluable for medtech and femtech founders.

Who it’s for: Clinicians, healthcare workers, and medtech innovators building devices or digital solutions for healthcare.

Support you get:

• Mentorship from NHS leaders, investors, and commercialisation experts.
• Guidance on clinical validation, evidence generation, and regulatory strategy.
• Direct pilot opportunities within NHS trusts.

Cost: Free. It’s funded by NHS England.

Did you know: Haptiv8 – the first company to trial The Embedded Accelerator – first met ANDtr’s Managing Director, Dr Nicola Wheeler-Thorn, at CEP. Read the case study here. 

 

3. Arise – Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

What it is: As part of Anglia Ruskin University, Arise Innovation Hubs bridges research and industry to help early-stage Science, Technology and Medtech companies grow. Based across Chelmsford and Harlow in Essex, it empowers entrepreneurs with tailored business support, including access to grant funding, networking opportunities and serviced office facilities for a thriving community of tech ventures.

Who it’s for: Startups, SMEs, and spinouts in Digital Technologies, Life Science and Advanced Manufacturing.

 Support you get:

• Affordable virtual membership, coworking and office space
• Access to ARU researchers, graduate talent, and funding opportunities.
• Workshops and business development guidance from university and industry mentors

Cost: Membership and space fees vary by site and scale, starting from £249+VAT for coworking

Learn from Arise: A friend of ANDtr, Jack Ellum from Arise, will be delivering a workshop on ‘Supporting Innovation’ as part of The Embedded Accelerator.

 

4. St John’s Innovation Centre, Cambridge

What it is: One of the UK’s most established innovation centres, located in Cambridge. It offers workspace, investment connections, and business-growth programmes tailored to science and technology startups.

Who it’s for: High-growth technology and engineering startups – particularly those developing IP-driven products that need both lab and investor access.

Support you get:

• Flexible office and lab space.
• Business mentoring, investor introductions, and scale-up support.
• Access to the Cambridge cluster’s manufacturing partners and venture networks.

Cost: Paid workspace and membership fees (pricing varies by office size and tenancy).

Working together: Founder and chairman of ANDtr, Dr Valerie Lynch, works closely with St John’s Innovation Centre, having received her PHD from Cambridge University. Val is one of The Embedded Accelerator’s mentors, learn more about our mentors here.

 

Going global: Innovation hubs and accelerators around the world

While the UK is a standout for embedded tech and hardware innovation, there’s also opportunity beyond our borders. Global hubs and cities have their own energy and ecosystems. Here are four hardware hubs worldwide:

1. Austin, Texas, USA – Capital Factory

Austin is one of North America’s most vibrant startup cities, combining deep tech talent, major investors, and a business-friendly ecosystem. 

Example accelerator: Capital Factory is Austin’s flagship accelerator and coworking space, supporting early-stage startups across software, hardware, and defence innovation.

2. Shenzhen, China – HAX

Shenzhen is the world’s manufacturing capital – a city where hardware startups can prototype, source components, and scale faster than anywhere else.

Example accelerator: HAX is a leading hardware accelerator, operating between Shenzhen and San Francisco. It helps founders turn prototypes into manufacturable products with access to suppliers and tooling partners.

3. Bengaluru, India – GINSERV

Known as India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru (Bangalore) is India’s deep-tech capital. It combines engineering talent, R&D facilities, and a growing startup ecosystem.

Example accelerator: GINSERV is a government-backed technology business incubator and accelerator offering pre-incubation, post-incubation and accelerator programmes. Alumni span various sectors, including SaaS, AI, healthtech, and clean tech.

4. Berlin, Germany – MotionLab

Berlin has established itself as a leading tech hub, with 34 unicorns to its name and a ‘big tech’ presence. It has become one of the go-to cities for hardtech founders, offering affordable space, skilled engineers, and a thriving maker community.

Example accelerator: MotionLab.Berlin is a dedicated hardtech innovation hub providing coworking, advanced prototyping machinery, and connections to EU manufacturing partners.

The UK’s ecosystem offers world-class support for design, validation, and early manufacture, so most early-stage UK embedded hardware startups won’t need to relocate to an international innovation hub (especially at the beginning). 

That said, companies might consider moving if they’re seeking international investors or market entry (e.g., North American customers), or piloting production and regulatory testing in a specific geography. 

It is a good idea to connect digitally beforehand. Build relationships with overseas hubs, investors, and mentors via LinkedIn, virtual demo days and online networks. 

Say a startup has chosen where in the world they want to build their company and has been accepted to an accelerator, here are four key ways to get the most out of the experience, specific to embedded tech and hardware.

Embrace expert mentoring by being curious

Most innovation hubs offer direct access to mentors who are engineers, product designers, and commercial experts who’ve taken products from concept to manufacture. Use their experience to your advantage. Come prepared to every session, ask detailed questions, and apply their feedback quickly. The best founders stay curious and open to guidance.

Meet the mentors on The Embedded Accelerator 

Think about the long game: DFM from day one

Prioritising Design for Manufacture (DFM) early on reduces re-spins, improves first-pass yield, lowers unit costs and shortens time to market. Come with this mindset, tap into the right prototyping facilities and use supply-chain experts to refine your design as you go.

Network and build your community

Some of the most valuable connections come from conversations in the workshop or over coffee. Other founders, suppliers, and researchers in your cohort can become future collaborators, investors, or customers. Attend events, join informal meetups, and share your progress. Innovation thrives in community.

The takeaway? A city or an accelerator is not just a place to build your product, but a place to grow as a founder. The more you engage with mentors, manufacturing insight, and the people around you, the more you will thrive in your environment. 

To apply for The Embedded Accelerator by ANDtr, click here. 

• An innovation hub is a city-scale ecosystem; a site hub (like an accelerator) is where you build. Use both: the site for hands-on work, the city for supply chains and pilots.
• The UK is a strong practical hub for regulated embedded devices because of university research, NHS pathways and regional prototyping resources.
• Hardware and electronics innovators get out what they put in: approach entrepreneurship by engaging with mentors, thinking about how to practically scale your product from the beginning and building a network.