Collider’s Class of 2015 tech start-ups programme will begins with A-list partners like Unilever, Diageo, BBC Worldwide & Havas Media. That includes 12 brand partners, of which top global marketers, Diageo and Unilever, are two.

The year long programme creates symbiotic relationships between start-ups, brands, media companies and agencies. It gives partner brands access to early-stage start-ups that are looking to speed up their route to market. And brands can offer funding and mentoring in exchange for the chance to find innovative solutions to their own marketing problems.

Collider’s Class of 2014 signed 23 deals with partner brands and claimed that they had a 1.9 times increase in valuation after seven months.

The marketing and advertising accelerator will pair advertising agencies such as Havas Media, Ogilvy & Mather, Unruly and Engine Group, Exterion Media, media companies such as BBC Worldwide, Bauer Media, Reevoo and Haymarket, and brands Unilever, Diageo and Camelot with tech marketing start ups in the UK. Each partner brands can contribute between £20,000 to £100,000.

Marc Mathieu, senior vice president of Unilever, commented, “It has enabled us to gain deep exposure to new technologies and pilot those technologies with our brands. Collider continues to accelerate very high quality start-ups with a strong relevance to our brands. Five Collider companies are currently piloting their technology with Unilever and we are looking forward to seeing what 2015 brings.”

Collider co-founder, Rose Lewis, emphasised the importance of the brand partners to the programme.

“Without their dedication and enthusiasm, our start-ups would not have access to such constructive and critical customer feedback as early on. This leads to a faster market launch of a product responding to brands’ actual needs.

2015 will be the first time that Diageo is participating in the programme, and marks the company’s growing interest in start-ups.

Diageo announced its first hackathon last month, and launched its own start-up accelerator, Diageo Technology Ventures, in September.

Sara Springer, Diageo’s innovation director, noted, “Partnering with the latest [marketing and advertising] tech talent offers us new and diverse sources of creative ideas to expand our thinking across brand marketing and innovation.”