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    • About us
          • Digital Catapult is a deep tech innovation organisation driving business value by accelerating the application of advanced technologies.

            3,000

            Companies supported since 2018

            £555m

            Investment raised by startups since 2018

            20+

            Advanced technology facilities nationwide

    • Our ambition
          • Our ambition is to realise the practical application of deep tech through four interventions

            ambition-scale-deep-tech

            Enabling UK deep tech companies to scale

            ambition-improving-supply-chain

            Improving UK industrial supply chain resilience

            ambition-decarbonisation

            Driving industrial decarbonisation

            ambition-advancing-data

            Advancing UK development and use of data driven and open future networks

    • Our people
          • susan-bowen

            We are an organisation made up of almost 300 innovators.

            We pride ourselves on the skilled and talented people from varied backgrounds that make up our team – we harness the expertise, perspectives and connections of people of more than 40 nationalities, thereby bringing together a diversity of skills, experience and backgrounds.

            Susan Bowen

            CEO of Digital Catapult

    • Our places
    • Startups and scaleups
          • bfp cover

            Black Founders Programme

            The Black Founders Programme is an accelerator targeted at pre-seed or seed stage, Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services...
            ORCA-020

            Quantum Technology Programme

            Separating opportunity from hype to understand industry challenges that may be best solved by quantum computing.
    • Government and Public sector
          • 3d,Illustration,Of,Hydrogen,H2,Molecule,Model,-,Clean,Energy

            Hydrogen Innovation Programme

            Discover more about the the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative and the deployment of hydrogen technologies to address pressing energy and environmental...
            London,Office,Building,For,Network,And,Future,Concept

            Digitalising Energy Programme

            Energy Systems Catapult and Digital Catapult have partnered to explore the groundwork for a UK-wide initiative to accelerate a digitalised,...
          • Abstract,Blue,Technology,Hexagonal,Background

            UK Digital Twin Centre

            Led by Digital Catapult and funded by Belfast Region City Deal and Innovate UK, the UK Digital Twin Centre will make digital twins more accessible and meaningful in the UK. It will actively enable industries and innovators to safely embrace, explore and realise their dynamic power.
            Find out more UK Digital Twin Centre
    • Corporates and Industry
          • Transparent,Clear,Colorful,Glass,Or,Liquid,Waves.,Neon,Pattern,Abstract

            Green Hydrogen Certifier

            This report looks at the Green Hydrogen Certifier - an end-to-end demonstration of a potential digital certification solution for hydrogen production...
    • Academia
    • Investors
          • bfp cover

            Black Founders Programme

            The Black Founders Programme is an accelerator targeted at pre-seed or seed stage, Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services...
    • Services
          • Bespoke software & data systems

            Developing proof-of-concept demonstrators to showcase the viability and benefit of deep tech solutions.

            Platform engineering service

            Designing, building and operating physical and digital facilities. Providing testbeds for deep tech discovery and experimentation.

            Technology & innovation consultancy

            Consultancy services helping organisations addresses market preparedness gaps, evaluate financial viability and navigate technology change management.

          • Acceleration programmes for business

            Creating acceleration programmes to support businesses.Helping them grow through mentorship, technology support, networking, and investment opportunities.

            Facilitating and convening

            Bringing together and developing ecosystems of companies to explore, test and demonstrate how deep tech works in practice.

    • Technologies
    • Facilities
    • Opportunities
          • newsletter

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    • Current interventions
          • ORCA-020

            Quantum Technology Programme

            Separating opportunity from hype to understand industry challenges that may be best solved by quantum computing.
          • Abstract,Blue,Technology,Hexagonal,Background

            UK Digital Twin Centre

            Led by Digital Catapult and funded by Belfast Region City Deal and Innovate UK, the UK Digital Twin Centre will make digital twins more accessible and meaningful in the UK. It will actively enable industries and innovators to safely embrace, explore and realise their dynamic power.
            Find out more UK Digital Twin Centre
    • Case studies
          • Black Founders Programme Showcase event.

            SymphoMe: case study

            Part of the FutureScope's Black Founders Programme, Digital Catapult supported Nyangibo Gallery to get investment ready and receive business expertise
    • Events
    • Blogs
    • Publications
          • Glass globe encircled by verdant forest flora, symbolizing nature, environment, sustainability, ESG, and climate change awareness, generative ai

            Get involved

            Be the first to know about upcoming resources, events and activities in the BridgeAI programme.
            Glass globe encircled by verdant forest flora, symbolizing nature, environment, sustainability, ESG, and climate change awareness, generative ai

            The Programme

            Find out more about how the Innovate UK BridgeAI programme and how it aims to stimulate the adoption AI and...
    • Press releases
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Black Founders Programme

Supporting startups get investment ready

The Black Founders Programme is an accelerator targeted at pre-seed or seed stage, Black-founded companies creating innovative products and services in the digital entertainment industry.

The aim of the programme is to fast track high-growth potential startups from a business and investment perspective, providing the support needed to increase their investment readiness level.

Sony Music UK is a collaboration partner for this programme and plays an active role in supporting business growth & facilitating connections where possible.

The programme has been running since 2023 and it already has one cohort. Below you can find more information about the benefits, community and the success stories.

Programme benefits

In addition to providing investment readiness, the programme supports Black founders to further create connections and networking opportunities, together with driving positive change across the UK startup industry.

Support Black founders become investment ready

Masterclasses, mentoring and coaching from industry experts

Peer-to-peer support

Potential for funding opportunities

Access to state-of-the-art facilities & deep tech expertise

Access to potential partners, investors and customers

Hear from the programme participants about their experience

Case studies

Nyangibo Gallery

Nyangibo Gallery is an online and in-person extended reality (XR) and 3D art gallery that launched in 2023, featuring some of the best established and emerging talent from the XR world, including London-based artist Leslie Deere, award winning French VR director/creator Tatiana Apraxine and 3D and fashion artist Yu Chen.

After following Digital Catapult and its activities for a while, Haami Nyangibo, founder of Nyangibo Gallery, decided to join the FutureScope Black Founders Programme to expand her experience running a creative tech business. As a Black founder, she wanted to be part of a programme where she could find the right mentorship and people who have similar experiences.

Read the case study
Haami
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Loud Parade

Loud Parade makes bespoke music for brands and creative agencies by facilitating the complicated process of syncing and licensing popular music. Using behavioural science and artificial intelligence (AI) to measure the marketing effectiveness and promotional impact of music and audio assets, Loud Parade provides music by working with a network of independent artists and through relationships with major labels.

The Black Founders Programme has allowed Loud Parade to develop its value proposition and connect with investors, improving the company’s investment readiness and deepening understanding of how to manage expectations when pitching to potential investors.

Read the case study

Get involved

If you are interested in updates and news about the Black Founders Programme, fill out the short form below.










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Discover the partners and people supporting our Black Founders programme. From consultants, mentors to supporters and partners.

Our Community

Latest News and Events

Loud parade photo-min

Loud Parade: case study

Case study

Part of the FutureScope’s Black Founders Programme, Digital Catapult supported Loud Parade to get investment ready and receive business expertise.

Nyangibo Gallery: case study

Case study

Part of the FutureScope’s Black Founders Programme, Digital Catapult supported Nyangibo Gallery to get investment ready and receive business expertise