Are you ready to be catalysed?
The Founder Catalyst™ programme is designed to help you gain the skills you need to sustain the decade-long journey of running through walls and building a globally successful company.
We're focused on your development as well as your company’s and understand that each person’s and each startup’s journey is unique
By the end of this programme, you’ll not only leave with the hard skills (e.g. product development, market validation, financial literacy) required for the next phase of your journey, but the soft skills (e.g. leadership, team management, cultural intelligence) as well.
There’s no time like the present…apply today!
Kia ora,
- Marian, CEO, Ministry of Awesome
Join founder catalyst
This is the opportunity to upskill yourself and level up your company, no matter where you are in your journey. Come join us.
JOIN OUR NEXT COHORT INTAKE
How it Works
We invite new cohorts to join Founder Catalyst four times per year. >
Your adventure begins under the expert guidance of Jeffrey Ling, our Programme Director at the Ministry of Awesome.
Application process
Check out the Founder Catalyst criteria, if you think you're ready - apply!
The application process is broken into three steps:
- Application - tell us a little about you and your startup - share your goals and global ambitions
- Shortlist - we take the time to get to know you and learn about your journey
- Pitch interview - you'll get the chance to pitch your story to a selection panel
Kickoff
Each cohort begins with a virtual kickoff, which focuses on three areas:
- Getting to know people - other Founders in your cohort, the MoA team, and some Startup Mentors
- The upcoming programme schedule and its elements
- A crash course on important topics from expert facilitators
Discovery
You can’t make progress without a baseline measurement, so we first assess where your company is relative to the programme graduation requirements, which include oft-forgotten but important capabilities with regards to finances, legalities, governance human resources, or investment disciplines.
This will help both of us understand what gaps need to be filled. Only then can we create a unique plan of action together that will help fill those gaps by the time you graduate or shortly thereafter.
Develop your plan
Your plan of action will also include your bespoke goals for the time we have together. These goals may have to do with raising funds, earning revenue, hiring employees, expanding into a new geography, entering another startup support programme, or something else altogether.
The combination of graduation requirements and bespoke goals allows you to be the master of your own destiny while also ensuring you have the foundations required to do what’s next.
Key focus areas
Everything we do in the programme orbits around three big themes: market, globalisation, and fundraising.
It's a common pitfall in the startup world: diving into a market without thorough analysis and preparation, only to struggle with acquiring users or customers later on.
But what if you could avoid these pitfalls and set yourself up for success from the beginning? Our program is designed to help you do just that.
We believe in equipping you with the ambition, confidence, knowledge, and passion needed to take your solution beyond our shores.
Our mission is to connect you with investors, potential customers, and other capacity-building programs. We'll also guide you through the intricacies of expanding your presence offshore.
At the end of the day, innovation thrives on one essential element: money.
Whether it flows in from friends and family, private institutions, or public funding sources, the key to securing funding remains constant: mastering the art of storytelling, public speaking, financial expertise, and a solid corporate structure.
Access to a global mentor network
Throughout your journey, you’ll have a large cast of characters supporting you. This may take the shape of expert office hours for one-on-one consultations or it may be in the form of a group presentation and workshop. Our global network of Startup Mentors have been founders, operators, and high performers in a wide variety of areas, and they are here to help you progress through the programme. Similarly, the MoA team is at your disposal. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you will have your fellow cohort members. The relationships begun in a cohort have great potential to become long-lasting bonds that remain years after a programme has ended.
Connect with leading investors
Similar to the wealth of expertise we’ve curated in our Startup Mentors, we have also formed relationships with some of the leading venture capital and angel groups in the Asia-Pacific region, and this list continues to grow.
For those of you interested in other sources of capital, there will be plenty of organisations for you, too.
Icehouse
GD1
Movac
Even
Punakaiki
Angel Association
Blackbird
Work from anywhere
Every individual's needs are different. Whether you thrive in a high-energy, open-space, creative co-working environment, or prefer the quiet of your home office, Founder Catalyst will support you.
Founders who choose to work with us on site in Christchurch will receive a dedicated desk space, invites to in-person events, kitchen access, coffee, and WiFi, at no cost. Remote founders are also welcome and will use temporary desks when visiting and video calls for meetings, workshops, and other gatherings.
Graduation
At some point our formal programme time together will come to an end. But fear not friend, that doen't mean our support for you will end.
Towards the end of the programme, there will be a transition period where you formally move from active programme participant to alumnus.
We'll ensure you're set up for success. This may be in the form of an action plan, introductions to key stakeholders, referrals of other capability-building programmes, a formal Demo Day event, or all of the above.
Even if you choose not to continue your adventure as a startup founder or a founder for this particular company, we support you. There is no failure; only opportunity to continue innovating, learning, and making the world a bit better than when you found it.
Awesome startup perks
In addition to our fantastic line up of Startup Mentors and Investors, we have assembled a collection of perks and tools that will assist you in building your company.
We are grateful to all of the organisations for their continued support of startup innovation in Aotearoa New Zealand.
