Catalyst's Co-Founders Programme strengthens NW innovation sector

by Startacus Admin

Five of the teams from NI-based Catalyst's first Co-Founders programme in the NW have been successful in securing £10,000 of Innovate UK funding

And with the Impacting Founders programme (for Derry / NW and NI-based female founders) that we are facilitating in partnership with Young Enterprise NI taking place this autumn too and currently seeking applications, it is clear that the North West NI startup ecosystem will certainly be growing!
Five of the participating teams have been successful in securing £10,000 of Innovate UK funding and will be using the funding to pursue their ideas and contribute to the thriving innovation ecosystem growing in the North West region.
The five ideas which have secured funding include technology for medical student training, an innovative development for road’s cat’s eyes, a digital platform for golf caddies, a social fintech solution and a digital platform for exercise and wellbeing.
The programme brought together a diverse group of aspiring entrepreneurs from a broad range of fields including doctors, researchers, PhD students, undergraduates, scientists, designers, data scientists, engineers, technologists and those from a commercial background.
Lorraine Acheson, Innovate UK lead in Northern Ireland commented:
“Innovate UK has been delighted to work with Catalyst and support the Co-founders Programme in the North West. Stimulating innovation in every part of the UK is at the heart of what we do and it’s been great to see such wide-ranging and exciting ideas being developed by the North West Co-founder teams”.
Elaine Smyth from Catalyst added: ‘The quality of both the teams formed and the ideas generated from the entrepreneurial talent in the North West has been incredible. The Co-Founders programme provides the unique opportunity for individuals who have dreamed of being entrepreneurs to have a go. It has been a privilege for Catalyst, with the support of Innovate UK, to deliver the programme in the NW and to contribute to the growth of innovation startups with the potential to grow and scale their businesses’.
The Co-Founders programme is currently open for applications for its Autumn cohort and you can find out more at www.co-founders.co.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
2021 may be a challenging time to start a business, but these tips should help you get it right...

Startacus and Hatch Enterprise celebrate International Women’s Day by partnering with NetMinds to bring together female founders for a virtual speed networking event

Keeping customers engaged is vital for any small business - these basic tips will help you do just that

Need a temporary space or structure for your startup? Here are a few of the key factors that you should consider

Realife Tech and Southampton FC launch new partnership to help transform current engagement with fans and provide safety-minded experience when stadiums reopen

Rob Edmonds, Founder and Creative Director at NRG Digital, shares his advice and tips on how to adapt your internal comms to keep your team engaged

The lowdown on Timekettle - the LA-based startup that has created the world's first bi-directional translation earbuds

Innovative, purpose-driven startups with a focus on sustainability wanted to join the latest cohort of Huckletree’s Alpha Programme

Uppbeat is an innovative music platform for content creators to find the perfect tracks for their videos, without any copyright issues or challenges

Planning to launch a new product? Fiona Bennington from Nuli Design shares insights and advice on what to consider, before you do just that
Published on: 8th September 2020
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Startacus and Hatch Enterprise offer speed networking IWD-inspired event 24th Feb 2021 Startacus and Hatch Enterprise celebrate International Women’s Day by partnering with NetMinds to bring together female founders for a virtual speed networking event
- Wombat lands £2m investment as appetite for thematic, fractional trading grows 9th Feb 2021 The innovative investment platform Wombat secures major funding to help with further development and to expand the shares and investments on offer
- TryTech Aims to Help London’s Disadvantaged Young People Develop Skills and Careers in Technology 9th Feb 2021 Innovative new platform, TryTech is launched aiming to provide young people with the skills, knowledge and support to secure knowledge-based roles in tech startups
- STEMS seeks to examine the diversity of STEM talent in NI 8th Feb 2021 Startacus & Matrix NI partner on STEMS, 3 interconnected events, exploring themes around AI and bias, STEM development in schools & the workplace, & tech growth & entrepreneurship