The Forward Collective Incubation Program 2025 for entrepreneurs

days to apply

Empower Your Business with Expert Guidance

The Forward Collective Program is a transformative 6-month entrepreneurship program, with the support of MetLife Foundation, designed to turn your financial health solution into a sustainable enterprise. You will gain access to invaluable resources, one-on-one mentorship with industry experts, and a community built to amplify your impact.

Free entrepreneurship program

Apply before:

Days

Hours

Min.

Applications open until March 27, 2026

Online

United Kingdom

6 months

A program designed to unleash the potential of your business!

Dynamic Community

Forge lifelong relationships within a network of purpose-driven professionals committed to support financial health solutions.

Mentorship

Receive 1:1 strategic mentoring from a professional network of MetLife volunteers and Bridge for Billions specialists. Their collective expertise will help you validate your ideas, structure your processes, and ensure accountability for growth.

Investment Readiness

Master financial planning, strengthen your business model, and perfect your pitch. Refine your presentation skills for our final online Demo Day, where you’ll present your business to a jury and public.

About the Forward Collective Program

In partnership with MetLife Foundation, we are dedicated to supporting early-stage founders to thrive. Our program specifically targets businesses in financial health, inclusion, and community resilience sectors, helping them build lasting, scalable impact.

This initiative offers tailored mentoring, practical tools, and a powerful network to the next generation of inclusive innovators in the UK, all focused on closing financial gaps for underserved groups.

Ready to break barriers and grow?

What will you learn during the program?

Discover how to make your business unique, and how to attract more customers.

Learn how to calculate your costs and price points, to drive your profits and growth.

Master the best way to communicate and promote your business.

Aquire skills to calculate your business finances for the next 3 years, so you can can make more informed decisions.

Uncover how your business can positively impact your community, and attract collaborators and investors.

Strategize to expand your business, scale your operations and attract new customers.

Do you have questions about the program?

To learn more or resolve any doubts you may have, we organise online information sessions in English.
Click on your preferred date to see the session time in your local time zone and register to meet our team!

This program is perfect for you if...

You’re a founder in the pre-growth or early revenue stage (operating between 6 months and 3 years) motivated to scale up your business
You live and your business primarily operates in the UK
Your business focuses on financial health and other key areas such as: economic stability, education, community resilience, mental wellbeing, inclusive housing, climate sustainability.
You can dedicate 6–8 focused hours per week throughout the entire 6-month program period to maximize your progress
You have access to a computer and a stable internet connection.

How to apply to the program?

Create your profile

1

Start by clicking on the “Apply now” button.

Fill in your personal information to set up an account on our platform.

Remember your email and password for future access.

2

Complete all sections

Work at your own pace through all sections of the application.

Once completed, all the checkmarks at the top will turn blue, indicating that you’re ready to submit.

Note: An asterisk “*” next to the question indicates that the field is required.

Submit your application and await further news

3

We recommend that you review your application in detail one last time. If you’re good to go, click “Submit” in the lower right corner.

Make sure to submit your application by March 27, 2026.

Our team will be in touch with a notification about the status of your application.

Apply before:

Days

Hours

Minutes

Submit your application before March 27, 2026

Important dates

Applications

Until March 27, 2026

Start by making a profile on our platform and telling us more about you and your project. After you send in your application, we'll look through all the applicants who are interested in joining program.

Participant announcement

April 1, 2026

We'll carefully review all applications to choose the participants for this edition. If selected, your next step will be to accept your spot in the program!

Welcome session

April 8, 2026

Join us for a welcome session to dive into the details program! We'll introduce you to the program's schedule, your role, and the tools you'll use to develop your business. Don't miss out on this chance to learn more about what lies ahead.

Matching phase

April 9 - April 23, 2026

The matching process begins! You will have the opportunity to meet some of our mentors. Once you have met with them, you and they will submit your preferences to let us know who you wish to work with. We will then try our best to form winning pairs.

Entrepreneurship program

May 4 - September 11, 2026

The online incubation experience begins! From here you'll dive into mentoring sessions, use the practical tools in our digital platform, and follow our entrepreneurship step-by-step plan. You will have 6 months to go through all the modules and develop your business plan. In September 2026 we'll host the final online demo day where top entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their business in English in front of a jury and public.

FAQs about the program

How many hours a week do I need to dedicate to the program?

Your effort will shape your success! The dedication you put into the program will directly influence your results.

We have designed the program so that you can complete all the activities in just 6 to 8 hours per week. This time includes your weekly video call with the mentor and participation in various sessions.

This investment of time will be necessary during the 6 months of the program, ensuring that you make the most of this learning and growth experience.

How much do I need to pay to join the program?

Nothing! This program is free for all our participants, since it has been funded through MetLife Foundation.

What technology tools do I need for the program?

For the program, we recommend you use a computer with Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

Make sure your internet is stable for weekly activities and video calls with your mentor.

What will be the role of my mentor?

Your mentor will guide you helping you refine your strategy and plan for growth, but also offer moral support during the 6 month-incubation journey.

They’ll help you on the platform and check in weekly through online video calls to track your progress.

Can my co-founder or teammate work with me on the project?

Of course! Our platform is designed so you can work as a team. Invite your colleagues to join the project and work together on its development.

However, keep in mind that it is not like Google Docs. You will only be able to see your team’s changes after you refresh the page, so make sure you don’t overwrite their contributions.

Should I be concerned about my intellectual property if I apply to the program?

We understand your concerns about intellectual property and want to assure you that the security of your information is a priority for us. At Bridge for Billions, we treat your application data and your participation in the program as confidential information. Everything is protected under our Terms and Conditions and our Privacy Policy. Additionally, your mentor will sign a Mentoring Agreement that includes a confidentiality clause to further protect your information.

Contact Us

Meet Arielle (arielle@bridgeforbillions.org), Senior Program Manager for the Forward Collective program at Bridge for Billions.

You can send her an email with any questions you have about the program.

She’ll be happy to hear from you!

This program has been built by

For more information, please visit our website