FAQ

Founder Labs is an accelerator designed by former Founders to support early-stage founders building scalable, startups with high-growth potential.

To empower tech focused startups in Northern Ireland with the resources and mentorship to achieve rapid growth and success.

Founder Labs is an initiative funded by Invest NI and delivered by a partnership between Ormeau Labs, The AMP, Queen's University Belfast and DogPatch Labs. These experienced partners have helped thousands of founders across the island of Ireland from the idea stage right through to raising money from global investors. Collectively we have helped founders raise over $500m in venture capital. The programme itself is designed and run by former Founders.

We will accept up to 10 companies in each cohort.

Founders with an ambitious idea with a tech focus. It can be at the idea stage, or you may have already launched a product and have your first few customers. If selected for the programme it is expected that you will have or set up a Northern Ireland limited company and a UK bank account. If you have a limited company that is not currently registered in Northern Ireland you can still apply and if successful, then you will be expected to form an NI Ltd company. If selected you will also require an NI residential address for the duration of the programme.

You can apply if you have already raised some investment, but teams that have already raised a larger amount of investment such as a pre-seed over £500,000 may not get much benefit from the programme as it is designed for an earlier stage. Ultimately, we want founders that are ambitious, and businesses which are scalable. What do we mean by that? Well after 3 years of trading, we'd want your business to have revenue or funding over £1M, and for the majority of your sales to be from outside Northern Ireland.

No, you do not need to be an Invest NI customer to apply. If you are successfully accepted into Founder Labs, you will be onboarded as an Invest NI customer.

We expect at least one member of each cohort team to be in-person throughout the programme, preferably the CEO / Director but it can be interchangeable. Not all co-founders need to be based in Northern Ireland but at least one must have an NI residential address. There will be opportunities to join some sessions remotely and additional team members are welcome to attend these if they are relevant. As per above, by the commencement of the programme you are expected to have an NI registered company and NI Residential Address.

If successful you will be eligible to receive £25k in grant funding from Invest NI which will be paid in 4 tranches as you complete the programme. There is no expectation of equity or repayment if you successfully complete the programme.

The programme is designed for tech focused companies with high growth potential. The following business types are not suitable: • Services businesses that solve customer problems primarily through human expertise, execution, and ongoing support, rather than through a subscription software product. E.g Consultancy, agency, Personal Trainer. • Retail businesses that sell physical products directly to customers where technology is not the core product or competitive advantage. Technology may support operations (billing, inventory, marketing), but the value comes from the products, pricing, location, and customer experience, not software or platforms E.g. clothing, re-sellers, online stores. • Food related businesses involved in producing, preparing, selling, or distributing food that does not rely on proprietary software, apps, or advanced technology as its core value. Technology may be used (POS systems, social media, delivery apps), but it is not the product. E.g. Snack products, recipe websites. • Lifestyle Businesses created primarily to support the owner's desired way of living, rather than to maximise growth, valuation, or market dominance. If you are not sure whether your business meets the criteria please set up office hours or visit one of our AMA's in person and we can have a chat.

We have received close to 600 applications across our first four cohorts, so the process is competitive. That is why we have written an application guide to help you answer each question (founderlabs.network/guide). We consistently look for: • A great team: we all know starting a business is like a marriage, particularly when you have a co-founder. We like to see teams with curiosity and drive to solve a problem they have identified, and who can build fast and iterate quickly. We love teams with complementary skill sets so you can divide and conquer. • Initial market validation: we love to hear from founders about the users they have talked to, and why they are so passionate about solving the problem. • Clear, succinct application: make sure you show the tech focus - be explicit about what your product is, no extra fluff needed. Use tools like ChatGPT to make your answers clear and succinct but still ensure your application is personal.

The good news is that we will also run several AMA sessions during the application process so you can speak with us in person. In addition to the Founder Labs & Ormeau Labs teams we will also invite teams from previous Cohort so you can get peer feedback also.

Cohort 5 starts on Monday 11 January 2027 at Ormeau Labs, Belfast. The first three months are intensive and in person, followed by three months of concierge support. One team member must be working on the business full time and attend in person. Successful applicants receive the full week-by-week calendar during onboarding.

There are two three month phases to the programme: an intensive in-person build phase, and a concierge growth phase. We build the calendar around the companies in the cohort and what each one needs, rather than a fixed timetable. The Build Phase of the programme is about understanding what you are trying to achieve and connecting you with the right people to help. There will be an intense mentoring period at the beginning to help you calibrate where you are followed by a second period which focuses on company fundamentals and go-to-market strategy. The final period of phase one will be around company narrative, pitching and understanding the venture landscape which will culminate in a Demo Day in Ormeau Labs where you will pitch the startup to 100 investors, mentors and ecosystem supporters. The Concierge growth phase follows the Build Phase - this time allows you space to lead and grow with the ability to lean on our support when you need it. In this phase, there may be some travel/events.

We have two core entrepreneurs in residence (EIRs) who will support the founders on a weekly basis. These are experienced entrepreneurs who have successfully built venture backed companies and want to support the next generation. Other mentors will be pulled from our local and international network and will support as and where required.

Yes, there will be an in-person demo day held at Ormeau Labs at the end of the first phase.

The programme will last for six months and will be split into a three month intensive, in-person phase with a further three months of concierge support during execution. There will also be international trips to New York, London, & Dublin.

You will become part of the alumni portfolio of Founder Labs companies. We will continue to be on hand for any support you need. As an Invest NI client company you will also continue to have access to the full range of advice and support available from Invest NI.

Founder Labs is held at Ormeau Labs in Belfast. You will have a dedicated programme space to work from daily. You will also be part of the Irish Tech Hub Network which lets you passport across hubs in Derry, Dublin, Cork, Kerry and Galway. The core programme will be based in Ormeau Labs, Belfast. During the concierge phase, in-person contact is not required, but encouraged and the office space remains available for use. Travel is included in the programme and you will require the necessary passports / visas to travel to Europe and the USA.