
Founder Programs
From Sie Foundations to Sie Catalyst, we support you through each step of your fundraising journey
How we support you
Sie Foundations
Sie Foundations is a four-week program, where 40 founders come together to join best-in-class workshops, peer-pitch feedback sessions, AMAs with top funds and consideration for Sie Catalyst.
From how to structure your fundraise to how to negotiate a term-sheet, we provide you with the foundations to successfully raise your round.
Sie Catalyst
Following Sie Foundations, a small cohort of exceptional founders will be invited to join Catalyst — our flagship funding readiness program for standout startups.
Expect tailored, hands-on support, strategic preparation for your raise, and proactive introductions to our trusted network of 600+ investors.
Our Impact
£200m+
Raised by Sie Founders
175
Companies cheques facilitated by Sie
20
Investments by Sie Syndicate
150+
Angels in Sie Angel Syndicate
Sie Founders are backed by
Sie Foundations
Your starting point for a stronger, smarter fundraising journey.
Over four high-impact weeks, we equip early-stage founders with the tools, insight and community to fundraise — and unlock the opportunity to join our flagship program, Sie Catalyst.
What you can expect:
Expert-led workshops on the fundraising principles behind £200M+ raised
Live peer pitch and feedback forums to sharpen your story
Ask-Me-Anythings with top-tier VCs and operators
A cohort of ambitious founders building venture-scale companies.
Priority consideration for Sie Catalyst, our next-stage program customised to your needs.
Sie Catalyst
Sie Catalyst is our flagship program for a small group of high-potential founders. Built for companies ready to raise, Catalyst offers focused, hands-on support to guide your fundraise and introduce you to relevant investors.
What you can expect:
1:1 fundraising support tailored to your round
Direct access to Sie investor network
Peer sessions with other standout founders
Opportunities to pitch directly to our VC network and Angel Syndicate
Invitation to join our highly curated Founder Community
To date, we’ve facilitated 175+ investor cheques through Catalyst.
Fundraising Ready
What Great Looks Like
Create a compelling deck and financial model that build investor confidence.Designing a Smart Fundraise
Structure your round and cap table with clarity — from SAFEs and ASAs to equity and board seats.Finding and Securing the Right Investors
Identify the right lead, understand how to approach them, and negotiate with confidence.What Gets Investors Excited
Uncover what angels and VCs really look for — and how to position your story to resonate.Exploring Capital Beyond VC
Discover alternative sources of funding and how to combine them with your venture raise.
Timeline
June 19th, 2025
Applications open!
August 31st, 2025
Applications Close for Sie Foundations
September 23rd, 2025
Sie Foundations Launch
Who We’re Looking For
Our two connecting programs — Sie Foundations and Sie Catalyst — are designed to support you at the right time, with the right kind of help.
Sie Foundations: A fast-paced, 4-week program to sharpen your fundraising strategy and become investor-ready.
To be considered, you must:
Be building a viable, scalable business — ideally venture-backable
Have launched or be in active Beta (i.e. not idea stage)
Have at least one female co-founder
Be building a tech-enabled product or service
Sie Catalyst: our 1-2-1 fundraising program for a select group of founders ready to raise.
To be considered for Catalyst (following Sie Foundations), we look for:
Pre-Seed or Seed+ stage companies raising between £1M-£5M
Clear traction or market validation — e.g. LOIs, revenue, early growth metrics
A Venture-backable business
Our Alumni
Venture Community & Mentors
FAQs
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We chose the name Sie because we wanted a word that centred women — our initial focus — without excluding others. Our long-term vision is to support a broader range of underrepresented groups across the founder and investor ecosystem, and Sie felt right: a word rich in meaning, inclusive by nature, and aligned with our ambition.
In German, Sie translates to:
“she” (nominative feminine singular)
“they” (nominative plural, gender-neutral)
“her” or “them” (accusative, depending on context)
The formal “you”, like vous in French
A single word that captures identity, inclusivity, and respect.
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We ask every company to participate in Sie Foundations as a first step as it provides us with an opportunity to learn more about you and your business and equally, you get to know us! Additionally, it means we do not need to use 1-2-1 Catalyst hours to repeat our fundraising principles. Alongside the best-in-class content that we share!
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As a result of the support from our sponsors, we are able to run our programs at a founder friendly rate. Our Foundations program is £450 + VAT and if selected, our Catalyst program is £1300 + VAT.
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If you pass our due diligence, you’ll be invited to join Sie Foundations and have a chance to speak with the team before accepting your place. Over the summer, you’re also welcome to drop into our open office hours and workshops to get a feel for Sie.
For Sie Catalyst, we’ll be identifying potential participants throughout the onboarding process and during Sie Foundations. We’ll reach out to founders we believe we can support more deeply, and set up calls accordingly.
We review applications weekly during the sourcing period — so the earlier you apply, the better. And don’t worry: if you submitted interest before applications opened, we’ve got you on our radar.
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Sie Catalyst stands apart by offering highly personalised, hands-on support to a small group of founders we believe are truly ready to raise. Unlike broader accelerators or one-size-fits-all courses, Catalyst is a focused 8-week sprint tailored to your specific fundraise — from refining your deck and financials to navigating investor conversations and closing your round. We cap the cohort at just 5–6 companies to ensure every founder gets deep, targeted support.
We have a proven track record of helping founders raise from top funds.
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Sie Catalyst runs for 8 weeks, including dedicated time for investor outreach — but the support doesn’t end there. Once the program wraps, you’ll join the Sie Founder Community for life. As an alum, you’ll have ongoing access to the Sie team, fellow founders, and a calendar of sessions and meet-ups designed to support you as you grow and raise again.
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No we do not take equity. Our programs are offered at a founder friendly fee as a result of our partners support.
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We invest in a limited number of companies yearly through our Syndicate. Our Syndicate will look at the companies that participate in Sie Foundations. The Sie Catalyst cohort will have an opportunity to pitch to Sie Syndicate during the program.
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Sie operates predominantly across Europe and our HQ is based in the UK but we do consider applications to our programs outside of this region.
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Our programs are mostly remote, all the sessions take place via Zoom. We want to simplify access to all UK and European companies. There will be an optional in-person event as part of Sie Foundations.
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For Sie Foundations: We will run 2 sessions a week with additional resources shared across our dedicated program channels. Additionally, there will be office-hours with our partners wrapped around the main content.
For Sie Catalyst: Expect to commit around 4 hours per week for 6 weeks with our support extending for a further 2 weeks. That said, the real progress happens between sessions. You’ll be expected to put in additional time to refine your pitch deck, build your data room, shape your financials, and develop your investor pipeline.
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Absolutely! Our requirement for Sie Catalyst is that the female co-founder has equitable equity in the business. For both programs, we are happy to work with the fundraising founder, regardless of gender.
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We count every cheque that goes to our founders. To date we have facilitated 175+ cheques between founders and our Investor Network. Our companies have raised £200M+ in capital to date since our launch in 2021. Our NPS score is 9.5 across the programs. We encourage you to speak to our Alumni!
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Sie Foundations will run from mid September for 4 weeks. We will then take a 1 week break to select and onboard the companies to Sie Catalyst.