Catalyst has launched SEAM, a new one-day entrepreneurship festival aimed at bringing founders, investors and business support organisations together in Belfast this November.
The inaugural SEAM festival will take place at Banana Block on the Newtownards Road on Tuesday, 17 November, with Bank of Irelandas headline partner.
Organisers expect between 300 and 350 people to attend the event, which is designed to improve connections across Northern Ireland’s start-up and business ecosystem.
The festival will feature a live founder showcase, a dedicated area for capital conversations with active investors and angels, a marketplace for business support organisations and a closing reception.
The name SEAM draws on Belfast’s linen heritage, when the city was known as ‘Linenopolis’.
A seam represents both a join and something that is built upon, while Banana Block itself is a restored linen spinning mill.
Fiona Bennington, Director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling at Catalyst, said the festival was designed to make it easier for entrepreneurs to access the support available to them.
“SEAM exists because Northern Ireland has a plethora of diverse support opportunities, but it can be hard to navigate,” she said.
“Putting the whole ecosystem in one room for one day removes that friction for founders.”
As part of the festival, Catalyst is opening applications for two founder tracks, with both programmes free to enter, carrying no application fee and taking no equity.
The Early Stage track is aimed at entrepreneurs who are at the beginning of their journey, whether they are already building a business or developing an idea.
Ten teams will be selected to pitch their businesses live on the main stage during SEAM, in front of investors, potential customers, support organisations and fellow founders.
Those selected will receive mentoring from experienced founders and operators, finance and funding guidance, pitch and demo preparation, and one-to-one business support in the weeks leading up to the event.
Applications for the Early Stage track close on 30 August.
A second Growth track is aimed at founders with established businesses who are looking to scale.
Around 50 founders will take part, with the programme providing introductions to active investors and angels and dedicated opportunities for capital discussions.
Applications for the Growth track close on 11 September.
Both tracks are open to founders across Northern Ireland, with applications opening on 10 August through the SEAM website.
Successful applicants will be selected by the end of September.
Bennington said Catalyst wants SEAM to become a regular fixture for Northern Ireland’s entrepreneurial community.
“We want SEAM to become an annual moment for founders who are serious about growing their business, and we would encourage anyone interested to apply now,” she said.
Niall Devlin, Head of Business Banking NI at Bank of Ireland, said the bank was “proud to support SEAM Festival”.
“Strong businesses don’t just need great ideas, they need strong relationships, shared expertise, and a thriving support network,” he said.
