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...
1) DIGITAL CATAPULT
Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, we accelerate industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy.
We bring together an expert and enterprising community of researchers, startups, scaleups and industry leaders to discover new ways to solve the big challenges limiting the UK’s future potential. Through our specialist programmes and experimental facilities, we make sure that innovation thrives, and the right solutions make it to the real world.
Our goal is to accelerate new possibilities in everything we do and for every business we partner with throughout the journey – breaking down barriers, de-risking innovation, opening up markets and responsibly shaping the products, services and experiences of the future.
Digital Catapult works with organisations on projects involving at least one of the technologies from its “Advanced Digital Technology Stack”: Artificial Intelligence, Immersive, Internet of Things, Distributed Ledger Technologies, 5G/Future Networks and Quantum Technologies.
2) PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION
2.1 The Programme
Delivered by Digital Catapult the High Growth Accelerator for BridgeAI empowers UK businesses in high-growth sectors driving productivity and economic growth through the adoption of Artificial Intelligence, (“BridgeAI Programme”).
The BridgeAI Programme is a 14-week accelerator programme for UK-based startups, scaleups and SMEs to help them validate and develop responsible, ethical and desirable AI and ML deep-tech solutions. The theme of this call focuses on addressing critical aspects of the agrifood industries with solutions that can demonstrate technological innovation and redefine the selected challenges in the digital era. (“Programme”).
This call addresses the following challenges:
- Biodiversity and Methane Monitoring Challenges, in collaboration with Hartpury Digital Innovation Farm
- Livestock Management and Identification Challenges, in collaboration with Peacock Technology
- Biomass Condition Management Challenges, in collaboration with Nestlé
- Dairy Forecasting and Optimisation Challenges, in collaboration with Dale Farm
Applicants are encouraged to apply to one of the four challenge areas outlined above. We have set out a number of questions you may wish to answer within the theme which can be found HERE. However, if applicants have a solution that they think would be relevant to a particular challenge owner but does not align with the challenge questions, they can apply under the category ‘open challenge’.
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2.2 Programme Objectives
The Programme objectives include:
- Stimulate the creation of new AI products and services in the agrifood sector.
- Reduce the technical and ethical skills gaps in the AI space and support the development of trustworthy AI technologies.
2.3 Programme Judges
During the application stage, the judges will be responsible for scoring the applications according to the process and criteria set out in these Competition Terms. The judges will be chosen based on their experience and expertise The Programme Judges comprise:
Internal Judges: A number of judges from Digital Catapult will help judge the applications.
And may include any of the following:
Challenge Owner Judges: A number of judges from:
- Peacock Technology Limited (SC347669), Unit 13 Alpha Centre Stirling University Innovation Park, Stirling, United Kingdom, FK9 4NF
- Nestec York Ltd (02246361), Haxby Road, York, England, YO31 8TA
- Hartpury University and Hartpury College (11180792), Hartpury College, Hartpury House, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, GL19 3BE
- Dale Farm Limited (NI025356), Dale Farm House, 15 Dargan Road, Belfast, BT3 9LS
2.4 The Programme Partners
The following organisations are partnering with Digital Catapult to deliver the Programme:
Programme Funders: Digital Catapult is working as Innovate UK’s delivery partner on this IUK funded programme. Innovate UK is the UK’s innovation agency, and is part of UK Research and Innovation.
Programme Technology Partners During the Project, Programme technology partners may include industry organisations that support the Project through providing discounted services or products. The following Programme Technology Partners will be involved in the Programme:
- Amazon Web Services
- Google Cloud Platform
- NVIDIA
- MongoDB
- Miro
BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partners: Digital Catapult is working in collaboration with Innovate UK, Innovate UK KTN, the Alan Turing Institute, Hartree Centre (STFC) and British Standards Institution (BSI) on the Bridge AI programme.
2.5 Applicants & Participants
You are considered an “Applicant” if you apply to this competition.
You are considered a “Participant” if you are successful with your application and complete all pre-Project activities (e.g. signing the Programme Agreement).
3) PROGRAMME BENEFITS
Participants in the Programme will receive the following benefits:
- Regular interactions with the Digital Catapult team, industry experts, and to assess, iterate and accelerate your business processes, and significantly expand your network.
- Diagnostic sessions with your leadership team to determine current technological, commercial and strategic needs.
- Workshops to develop and improve business planning, commercial strategy, pricing and positioning, operational processes and investment readiness.
- Networking events and introductions to industry leaders and potential customers.
- Peer support from other SMEs on the Programme, sharing learnings and insights gained from the Programme as well as previous expertise.
- A showcase during which Participants will present to an invited audience of partners and industry representatives.
- Upon successful completion of the Project, the opportunity to join the Digital Catapult Alumni Network, which keeps them informed of opportunities and relevant updates from the Digital Catapult, and which provides additional opportunities to engage with Digital Catapult and other Alumni.
4) PROGRAMME OBLIGATIONS
Participants must be willing to commit to the following key obligations:
- Attend the kick-off event hosted by Digital Catapult on 4th September 2025.
- Attend at least 70% of the workshops, support meetings, webinars, hosted by Digital Catapult from September to December 2025.
- Develop a technology solution addressing the appropriate challenge.
- Attend, present and demonstrate project outcomes at the Final Programme Event in December 2025.
- Attend meetings hosted by the Industry Challenge Owners.
- Participant shall complete the Digital Catapult’s EDI Survey (please note each question will have a “prefer not to say” option).
- Participant agrees to be visibly (name and logo) associated with the Programme, whilst in the Programme, and afterwards as a former participant and beneficiary. This includes marketing collateral, such as website, print and digital materials.
- For a maximum period of five years following the Project end date, Participant shall use its reasonable endeavours to answer specific questions from Digital Catapult relating to its growth and progress to assist Catapult demonstrate the impact of its activities. This shall include: (i) participation in an annual telephone conversation of one hour, and (ii) participation in a two early survey issued by Digital Catapult.
5) APPLICANTS
5.1 Minimum Requirements
- Applicants must be eligible to receive £18,000 in State Assistance (see section 9.2 below for further details).
- Applicants must be a UK based registered company, or prove they are a company that has an establishment in the UK and undertake all activity in the UK.
- Applicants must develop solutions enabled by Artificial Intelligence.
- Applicants must be a UK-registered Startup or SME. An SME is any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million or a balance sheet total less than €43 million.
- Applicants must have a UK business bank account for any payments to be made.
5.2 What we’re looking for
We are looking for companies that have:
- existing or new AI-enabled services or AI-integrated infrastructure solutions that can demonstrate to solve one of the challenges of the call.
- technical teams with the internal capabilities to develop an AI solution addressing one of the challenges of the call.
- available data and an immediate need for computation. Applicants must not be dependent on the Challenge Owners to provide data.
6) KEY DATES
- Open Call – Applications Open – 9th June 2025
- Open Call – Application Deadline – 13th July 2025 at 23:59
- Notification of shortlisted projects and Invitation to interview – 25th July 2025
- Interviews – w/c 4th August and w/c 11th August 2025
- Intended notification of all Applicants – 14th August 2025
- Programme:
- Start Date: 1st September 2025
- End Date: 5th December 2025
7) THE APPLICATION
7.1 What information should my application contain?
Applicants must answer all required questions in the full online application form.
7.2 Who will see my Application?
The following people will see your application:
Catapult Representatives: Relevant Catapult representatives will see your application in order to assess the application, and otherwise in the administration of your application and, if successful, participation in the Programme.
Programme Funders: Relevant Innovate UK representatives will see your full application in order to assess the application, and otherwise in the administration of your application and, if successful, participation in the Programme. This includes undertaking its statutory duties.
BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partners: In the event that during the judging process, the Programme Funder believes that your company may benefit from further support from a BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partner, outside of this Programme but within the BridgeAI Programme (and regardless of whether your application for this Programme is successful or not), it may at its discretion share your Application with the relevant BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partner(s) for targeted support.
The Programme Judges will see your full application, except for your company name and personal information fields.
7.3 Key contact
Applicant will appoint a main contact for the Programme (“Key Contact”). This person will be Digital Catapult’s main point of contact for the competition and, if successful, Applicant’s Programme activities, including: workshop and event commitments, team members’ availability, ongoing activities, and assessment of progress during and after the Programme.
Digital Catapult will use this personal information for the purpose of carrying out due diligence on Applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme and to notify successful and unsuccessful Applicants over their submissions. The personal data we collect may be shared with and processed by (i) Programme Judges for the purpose of assessing the Applications; and (ii) Programme Partners and third party service providers for the provision of benefits to the Participants in the Programme, as set out in these Competition Terms.
The Programme Funder will additionally use the personal information for grant administration purposes, programme evaluation, and to perform its statutory duties.
7.4 Submitting your application
You must submit your application via the Skipso form (“Submission Method”).
All applications must be submitted via the Submission Method by the Application Deadline.
Once your completed application has been received, Digital Catapult will send you a confirmation receipt by email. If you do not get a receipt within twenty four (24) hours of the next working day, please email us at [email protected] with the subject “High Growth AI Accelerator Application Submission”.
7.5 Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey
In addition to your application, you will be required to complete Digital Catapult’s Equality Diversity and Inclusion Survey (‘Survey’). Whilst the completion of this Survey is mandatory, please note that your responses to this Survey will be kept separately from your application and will have no effect whatsoever on your application to the Programme.
Digital Catapult (as the Data Controller) will collect and process your personal data, including the following special category data to help Digital Catapult improve its services in respect of equality, diversity and inclusion:
- Racial and/or ethnic origin
- Sexual orientation
- Health (including disability)
- Religious and/or philosophical beliefs
The data collected and processed may be shared with relevant third parties and/or published but only in an aggregated form, which means you will not be personally identifiable.
Your personal data will be kept for 15 months from the time you respond to the Survey. Should you apply to another of Digital Catapult’s opportunities within the 15 month period, we will provide you with the option to allow us to re-use the data we already hold, to resubmit the Survey or to delete your Survey data. If you choose to complete the Survey again, we will keep your updated data for 15 months from the time you resubmit the Survey.
Please note you are responsible for the accuracy of the data you share with Digital Catapult and you agree to inform us if your data needs to be updated.
For more information on Digital Catapult’s collection, use and protection of your personal data and your rights in regards to your personal data, please see Digital Catapult’s privacy policy (https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/privacy-policy) or contact us at [email protected]. If you have specific queries on our use of your Survey data (including a request to delete your Survey data), please contact us at [email protected].
8. SELECTION
8.1 Qualification
The Catapult will undertake an initial assessment of the Applicants against the Programme Requirements.
8.2 Selection process
Stage 1 – Initial Review
All qualifying applications will be reviewed by Digital Catapult Judges and a shortlist will be created using selection criteria.
Generally, the highest-ranking applications for each challenge will progress to Stage 2, but Digital Catapult reserves the right to progress applicants on a portfolio basis to ensure the Programme as a whole is able to deliver consistent support and activities that provide value to all Participants and optimise the impact of the Programme.
This deliberation meeting will be observed by Innovate UK in a project partner capacity.
Stage 2 – Interview
All qualifying applications will be reviewed and scored by the Programme Judges panel to create a shortlist. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to a Pitch Day. This will be an online event for shortlisted applicants to pitch their proposal to the Programme Judges and for the Programme Judges to ask further questions.
Generally, the highest ranked Applicants will be accepted onto the Programme, but Digital Catapult reserves the right to select the cohort on a portfolio basis to ensure the Programme as a whole is able to deliver consistent support and activities that provide value to all Participants and optimise the impact of the Programme.
8.3 Application Scoring criteria and weighting
The scoring criteria will be assessed based on statements in the areas below. Each criterion will be scored on a range from 0 to 5. 0 being an “Unacceptable or No submission” score for each criterion and 5 being an “Excellent” score for each criterion. This scoring will be applied to all applications and will be equally weighted.
There are 5 criteria upon which applicants will be assessed:
- Relevance and Feasibility
The applicant should demonstrate their solution can tackle the challenge selected and the company has the appropriate technical expertise to deliver the solution.
- Business Strategy
The applicant should be able to articulate the company’s business model that drives their AI/ML solution implementation and commercialisation.
- Data and Code Readiness
The applicant should demonstrate that their company has the necessary data ready and has an implementation plan that requires immediate access to computational power.
- Ethical Impact
The applicant should exemplify a responsible use and understanding of the impact of their AI/ML solution, and a strong commitment to ethical AI practices.
- Growth Potential
The applicant should be capable of identifying clear goals and demonstrating their solution has the potential to scale after the programme.
Furthermore, Participants will be selected on a portfolio basis to ensure the Programme is able to deliver consistent support and activities that provide value to all Participants.
8.4 Due diligence
We will carry out due diligence on applicants prior to the point of selection onto the Programme. Applicants must be willing to submit further information or documentation upon request to qualify as ‘successful’.
8.5 Successful applicants
Successful applicants will be notified and provided with a standard agreement for review and execution (“Programme Agreement”).
The Programme Agreement is a standard agreement and not negotiable. We do try and ensure these contracts are fair and reasonable.
In order to be accepted onto the Programme, successful applicants must sign the Programme Agreement.
9 COMPETITION TERMS – SPECIFIC
9.1 Benefits
All the benefits provided under the Programme by third-party organisations (“Suppliers”) are subject to the Supplier’s terms and conditions stated in the Programme T&Cs.
Any optional benefits provided by third party organisations whose terms and conditions are not contained in the Programme T&Cs will be agreed between the Participant and the Supplier directly.
Digital Catapult reserves the right to amend the list of benefits at its sole discretion.
9.2 State Assistance
Participants shall receive the grant as Minimal Financial Assistance (“MFA”), or to the extent applicable under the Northern Ireland Protocol, the de minimis aid regulations (COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 1407/2013), collectively referred to herein as “State Assistance.
The total State Assistance received or due to be received by an individual Participant (including any associated companies e.g. subsidiaries), originating from a United Kingdom source, must not exceed £315,000, or €200,000 (approximately £165,000) for Northern Ireland Companies (or any other company subject to the Northern Ireland Protocol), each in aggregate across the Participant’s current fiscal year (as at the Agreement Date) and the previous two fiscal years.
This Programme has been assessed as providing £18,000 for Participants approximately equivalent to €21,456.
Before signing the Programme Agreement, Applicants will therefore be asked to sign a declaration confirming that you are eligible to receive the State Assistance.
9.3 Accessibility
We aim to make all of our programmes accessible. We welcome feedback as to how we may be able to improve the accessibility of our programmes in the future. If you have any feedback with regards to accessibility, please send your feedback by email to: [email protected]. Your feedback may be used by us in our programmes and activities.
9.4 Applicants
Digital Catapult reserves the right to accept any application which does not fulfil the minimum requirements.
9.5 Key Dates
Digital Catapult reserves the right to change the Key Dates at its sole discretion. No extension to deadlines will usually be granted, with very limited exceptions where the Applicant requests an extension due to reasonable extenuating circumstances, beyond the Applicant’s control and unforeseen to them, subject to the Applicant providing evidence that proves the extenuating circumstance; and the Applicant informing Digital Catapult as soon as reasonably practicable following the extenuating circumstance becoming apparent. Digital Catapult reserves the right to consider the factors and decide whether such circumstances are extenuating and whether granting an extension is fair to other applicants. No extension granted will usually be for greater than two working days.
9.6 Applications
All information and documents requested must be submitted. Failure to submit all requested information and documents may result in the application being rejected. Catapult will not use outside information in respect of your application unless otherwise indicated, other than to undertake due diligence. Digital Catapult reserves the right to not work with people or an organisation which it believes could impact its reputation.
9.7 Previous Applications
Catapult reserves the right to either (i) reassess an application from a previous competition (together with information gained from an update meeting), or (ii) accept as a successful applicant an organisation that was previously successful in a previous competition, but whose participation was deferred to a later Programme.
9.8 Personal Data
Digital Catapult is working with Innovate UK, Innovate UK Business Connect, Hartree Centre (STFC), Alan Turing Institute and British Standards Institution (“BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partners”) on the BridgeAI Programme, of which this Programme is a part.
By applying for this Programme, the Applicant confirms that it has made the Key Contact and any other person whose personal data has been submitted, aware of, and has the lawful grounds to enable each Controller (including its processors) to, process the personal information of the Key Contact (and any other person named in the Application and open call process) as set out in these Competition Terms and agree that such personal data can be shared with and used by each of the BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partners, each of which is individually (not jointly) a Controller.
Each Programme Collaboration Partner is individually responsible for how it respectively stores, uses and processes personal data in accordance with that Programme Collaboration Partner’s privacy policy. One Programme Collaboration Partner is not responsible for another Programme Collaboration Partner’s storage, use or processing of your data. Actions taken by one Programme Collaboration Partner (e.g. deleting personal data) will be independent of another Programme Collaboration Partner. If you or the Key Contact needs to make a data request, please make such request directly to the relevant Programme Collaboration Partner(s). Each Programme Collaboration Partner’s privacy policy can be found at the web addresses listed below.
Programme Collaboration Partners will use submitted information for the purposes of organising and operating the Programme, related post Programme activities, assessing the impact of the Programme, maintaining and using a BridgeAI Programme CRM system, and contacting you in relation to other BridgeAI Programme activities. BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partners may also contact you for feedback or research purposes. If you’ve signed up to allow a BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partner to stay in contact, they may also contact you regarding other activities and events they hope to be of interest to you.
Each BridgeAI Programme Collaboration Partner’s privacy policy can be found at the web addresses the following web addresses: Innovate UK https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/privacy-notice/; Innovate UK Business Connect https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/privacy-policy/#:~:text=We%2C%20Innovate%20UK%20Business%20Connect,to%20complete%20incomplete%20personal%20data; Hartree Centre (STFC) https://www.hartree.stfc.ac.uk/privacy-policy/; Alan Turing Institute https://www.turing.ac.uk/privacy-policy; British Standards Institution https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/legal/privacy-notice/; and Digital Catapult www.digicatapult.org.uk/privacy-policy/.
9.9 Programme Agreement
Digital Catapult reserves the right to make amendments to the Programme Agreement it issues up until the point of execution by both parties.
9.10 Participant Programmes
Digital Catapult reserves the right to offer Participants access to its Participant Programmes, such as its Platinum Awards.
- COMPETITION TERMS – GENERAL
10.1 Data Retention
Digital Catapult will store your application and the scoring it has received for the entire duration of the Programme, or up to two (2) years, whichever the greater. If you are a successful Applicant, we shall also store your Application for a period of up to seven (7) years following the end of the Programme. For administration purposes, contracts may be stored for up to seven (7) years, contracts providing State Assistance for up to eleven (11) years, and deeds for up to thirteen (13) years from the end of the Programme.
10.2 Confidentiality
The information provided in your Application will be kept confidential and only used and disclosed as reasonably necessary for the purpose of assessing Applications, and, if admitted onto the Programme, for working with you in the Programme. This may include with our Programme Partners as indicated above.
For practical reasons, NDAs will not be signed by Digital Catapult or the Programme Partners as part of this Programme Competition. The activities we provide can only be achieved through trust of the tech community. It is therefore not in our interest to release your sensitive information. Confidentiality provisions are included in the Programme Agreement.
The scoring of your Application will be treated as sensitive information.
As your Application will be transmitted over the Internet, ultimately Digital Catapult cannot guarantee its security.
10.3 Intellectual Property
We respect the intellectual property of others and we ask our Applicants to do the same.
In submitting the Application, you promise that you have and continue to have all necessary rights, licenses, permissions and consent to provide the content in your application to us, and for Catapult to use the Application as we have set out.
We will not remove from Applications any proprietary labels or copyright assertions.
10.4 Disclaimers, Exclusions & Limitations
We accept no liability for any consequences, whether direct or indirect, that may arise from your participation in the Programme Competition, your reliance on any statements we may have made about your application, the Programme, or its suspension or withdrawal.
In any case, to the extent permitted under law, Digital Catapult’s liability shall be limited to one thousand (£1,000) pounds.
10.5 Entire Agreement
These Competition Terms constitute the entire agreement between Digital Catapult and the Applicant and extinguish all previous and contemporaneous agreements, promises, assurances, and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to the subject matter of these Competition Terms
10.6 Jurisdiction
The Programme Competition is governed by English law and the Applicant agrees that any dispute shall be exclusively resolved in the English courts.