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Black Founders Programme Showcase

Date: 5 March 2026 14:00 - 18:00

Register by: Wednesday 4 March 2026

Register your interest

About this event

Join Digital CatapultSony Music UKSony Music Publishing UK, and Channel 4 on Thursday 5 March for an inspiring half day event celebrating twelve trailblazing Black-founded startups who are reshaping the future of the creative industries.

At the Black Founders Programme Showcase, you’ll be among the first to experience the breakthrough ideas and creative solutions powered by deep tech that have been supported during this year’s programme. Each startup will deliver a powerful, fast paced investment pitch – offering a front row look at some of the UK’s most exciting emerging companies and their journey to investment readiness.

This showcase marks the culmination of the third Black Founders Programme, delivered in partnership with Sony Music UK and Sony Music Publishing and in collaboration with Channel 4, and designed to drive meaningful, lasting impact in the creative tech sector. Take a look at last year’s programme showcase highlights below.

Who should attend

This event is designed for anyone passionate about discovering and supporting the next wave of creative tech innovation. It will be particularly valuable for:

  • Investors – including venture capital professionals, angel and impact investors, investment leads, managers and associates who are looking to meet high growth potential founders and explore emerging opportunities.
  • Creative industry leaders – business decision makers and innovators eager to uncover fresh ideas and disruptive solutions shaping the future of the sector.
  • Programme supporters and ecosystem partners – the mentors, collaborators and organisations who have contributed to the growth of the cohort and played a key role in this year’s programme.

Why attend

  • High energy startup pitches – hear bold, innovative ideas directly from the founders as they share their vision, product breakthroughs, and growth plans with the use of deep tech.
  • Meaningful networking opportunities – connect with fellow attendees across the creative, technology, innovation and investment communities. Enjoy dedicated networking moments designed to spark new collaborations – and meet the founders in person.
  • Insights from industry experts – gain behind the scenes perspectives from partners who helped shape this year’s programme, designed to support long-term success for the founders and support them to get investment ready.
  • A celebration of creativity, innovation and Black entrepreneurship – be part of a vibrant, supportive community championing new talent.

Agenda

Speakers and the full agenda will be announced in due course.

Register your interest for the Showcase below. Registration does not guarantee attendance,  your participation will be confirmed in due course via email.

 

 

Legal and Privacy Terms

Data Protection:

Catapult is hosting this event and is the data controller for your personal data. Catapult is responsible to you for how it stores, uses and processes your personal data in accordance with our privacy policy which can be found at https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/legal/privacy-policy/

Any data processors will only process your personal data on our instructions and for the purpose defined below.

Catapult may take photographs and/or video at the physical event, which may be used in general promotional material recording or relating to the event, including use with websites, emails, social media and tangible literature. If you have any concerns relating to this, please contact the events coordinator at the event.

Catapult may also use your submitted information for the purposes of organising and operating the event, related post event and dissemination activities, and assessing the impact of the event. Catapult may also contact you for feedback or research purposes. If you’ve signed up to allow us to stay in contact, we may also contact you regarding other activities and events they hope to be of interest to you. Where a programme, facility or event sponsor has been named, we may also pass your information to such sponsor for the same uses as Catapult in relation to the event.

By attending the event, you agree to Catapult collecting and using your personal data in the ways, for the purpose(s) and for the period defined above.

If you are applying on behalf of another person, you are confirming their acknowledgement and agreement to these terms.

You may at any time send a request to Catapult at [email protected] to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing or object to the processing your personal data.

Terms and Conditions:

Notice of admission: Digital Catapult (DC) is private property and admission to DC is by invitation only. We reserve the right to refuse admission to DC or to parts of DC to any person, or to require a person to leave DC, if his or her conduct or presence is considered by an officer of DC to be causing or liable to cause annoyance, endanger/be liable to endanger the exhibits, fabric of the building or be otherwise undesirable.

Your Property: We reserve the right to refuse to allow any item to be brought into DC, or to inspect any item. No item may be left unattended anywhere in DC. We reserve the right to deal with any unattended items as we deem appropriate, and accept no liability for damage which may be caused in consequence. We accept no responsibility for any loss or damage sustained by items left in the lockers, or cloakrooms, other than loss or damage caused by our negligence or that of our staff. You agree that the organisers may use your contributions for, without limitation, creating and publishing material relating to the event, but no contribution will be personally attributed in materials without explicit consent. We reserve the right to use delegate participation in our post event activities.

Enforcement: Employees of the Catapult are authorised by us to require compliance with these conditions.

If you are applying on behalf of another person, you are confirming their consent to these terms and the privacy terms.

Any comments or complaints about this event should be sent to [email protected], with the subject line “COMPLAINT” and dated.