For centuries, Ashridge House has been a place for learning, leadership and ideas that shape the world. Today, that legacy continues through immersive residential programmes for the next generation of global leaders. The Hult Prize Global Accelerator showcases how Ashridge House brings history, focus and modern learning together.
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What were your primary objectives for hosting the Hult Prize Global Accelerator at Ashridge House, and how did the venue support achieving those goals?
The Hult Prize is a year-long global startup program that challenges young people to build for-profit businesses with measurable social and environmental impact. After progressing through local and national stages, top student teams from around the world come to Ashridge House for our Global Accelerator, a multi-week residential experience where they refine their ventures, work closely with mentors, and prepare to scale.
As you can imagine, the stakes are high for these teams. We keep coming back to Ashridge because it offers our founders an inspiring environment to focus on their startups while also supporting their wellbeing and a sense of community.
Why was Ashridge House selected as the location for the Global Accelerator, and what factors influenced that decision?
Ashridge House has a long legacy as a place where leaders come to think, learn, and challenge themselves, which aligns closely with what we’re trying to do with early-stage founders.
From a practical perspective, it has everything we need to host a global cohort for several weeks: flexible learning spaces, on-site accommodation, and the operational capability to support our dynamic agenda. The Ashridge House affiliation with our partners at EF was another important factor. We all share a commitment to education, cultural curiosity, and social impact, which made the partnership feel natural.
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How did the setting of Ashridge House contribute to the overall experience of participants during the intensive Accelerator programme?
For our participants, the opportunity to live in a castle (er—large historic property), is a once-in-a lifetime experience. It helped them step back from day-to-day challenges think more deeply and creatively about what they’re trying to do. As one said, “It was a unique experience I will never, ever forget. I literally got goosebumps walking into reception.”
The environment also supported founder wellbeing in a very practical way. With a $1M investment at stake, teams put a lot of pressure on themselves. Having access to the woods, gardens, quiet areas, and facilities like the gym and tennis courts ensured they could reset when they needed to. This balance was key to ensuring everyone stayed energized and didn’t burn out.
What elements of Ashridge’s facilities and infrastructure were most valuable for running a multi-week educational residency of this scale?
Several aspects of Ashridge’s facilities made the Accelerator possible at this scale, with relatively little friction:
→ It’s gorgeous! Breathtaking even
→ Flexible classrooms and event spaces that worked for workshops, pitch sessions, and social events
→ Plenty of breakout spaces for small-group work, mentoring, and parallel sessions
→ On-site accommodation for our staff, mentors and founders
→ Reliable technology and connectivity, which was essential for multimedia sessions and for participants to stay connected to their clients, colleagues and families
→ Quality catering that accommodated a wide range of dietary needs (and sustained long working days)
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How did the Ashridge team support the logistical, academic, and operational needs of the Hult Prize programme throughout the Accelerator?
Georgia and the rest of the Ashridge House team were deeply supportive from start to finish. From early planning through daily operations, they worked closely with our staff to make sure our set-up could adapt as our agenda evolved. This allowed the Hult Prize team to stay primarily focused on the founders and the learning experience, knowing the operational side was in good hands.
Over the years our team has developed good working relationships with several Ashridge staff and always look forward to seeing them when we return. One example is Paul from Venue Services who always kindly checks in on the staff and founders working late. This past year, we invited Paul to attend our Global Finals at the Tate and were so excited that he came!
In what ways did Ashridge House’s environment enhance collaboration among the global cohort of student startups and mentors?
The residential model helped break down cultural and language barriers and encouraged people to connect more openly from the beginning. This led to stronger relationships and more meaningful collaboration across the entire cohort. When someone was stuck, all they had to do was walk down the hall or across the courtyard to find other founders or mentors to help. These informal collaboration moments were some of the most valuable and would be hard to replicate elsewhere.
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