Antidote, a new London-based accelerator, has launched with £2.5 million in funding from Fulgur Ventures, Initial Capital and a group of private angel investors.
Antidote aims to promote growth in the UK and to support entrepreneurs in Britain to build on open technologies, starting with Bitcoin and fintech.
The accelerator provides workspace, funding, mentorship, and policy access, helping founders turn ideas into products that solve real challenges in payments and advance the technologies powering the next internet economy.
Targeting early-stage entrepreneurs, experienced operators and corporate innovators, Antidote wants to empower founders from any background to turn serious ideas into investable, commercially viable businesses. Its programmes support founders working on:
- Financial and payments infrastructure.
- Digital identity and data sovereignty.
- Bitcoin and open-source technologies.
- Institutional and regulatory alignment for fintech innovation.
Ben Cousens, Co-Founder and CEO of Antidote, shared
: “We’re here for entrepreneurs turning new technology into real impact. Whether it’s Bitcoin, fintech, or leveraging AI and online identity, Antidote can offer the capital, community, and credibility to scale.
The UK has the potential to lead this new wave of innovation. We just need to back the people building and focus on solving real problems: that's what matters.”
Cousens contends that the UK has all the right ingredients by way of talent, capital, and legal frameworks to lead this new era of open, financial innovation, but "what's been missing is a credible bridge between founders and institutions, as well as a constructive approach to the 21st Century technologies that will define the economy of the future.
"That’s what Antidote is here to build.”
Through its workspace and network in London’s Hatton Garden, Antidote will offer founders access to:
- A six-month accelerator programme with workspace, workshops, and demo days.
- Direct funding and investor introductions.
- Mentorship from leading fintech, Bitcoin, and venture experts.
- Community events and policy roundtables with UK regulators and ecosystem partners.
Antidote is working in partnership with organisations such as UK think-tank Bitcoin Policy UK, who were instrumental in the formation of the organisation to enable access to a network that can bridge grassroots innovation with institutional support building trust, clarity, and collaboration across the UK’s growing technology ecosystem.
Richard Faichney, Partner at Taylor Wessing, said:
“We’ve worked closely with Antidote from the start to help build a foundation grounded in trust, clarity, and collaboration.
Their work demonstrates how legal and institutional rigour can enable innovation rather than restrict it. This is a crucial step in strengthening the UK’s position as a hub for credible, long-term technology ventures."
Mayra Tama, Partner at Initial Capital, said:
“Initial Capital invests in founders and ecosystems that turn Bitcoin’s potential into real-world progress. Antidote is building exactly what the UK needs right now, a credible platform that connects entrepreneurs, capital, and policy to accelerate meaningful innovation.
We’re confident that Ben and the team will help cultivate the kind of companies that define the next decade of fintech and open technology.”
Lead image: Freepik.
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