Deadline: 8-Jun-25
The Ministry of Awesome is calling for expression of interests for its Founder Catalyst Programme.
Founder Catalyst will help you focus on gaining a deep understanding of your customers’ problems independent of any product or solution.
You’ll intimately learn about them, their problems, and their worlds. Talk to them over and over and over again. This is where the most valuable data resides.
Only after thoroughly understanding your customers have you earned the right to build a truly transformative product worthy of the “startup” title.
Approach
- The Entrepreneurs-in-residence will facilitate small group discussions to uncover challenges facing your business. Collaborating with fellow founders, you’ll develop strategies to overcome these obstacles.
- You’ll continue to level up your founder skills through regular one-on-one sessions with experienced mentors and fellow founders.
- You’ll gain:
- A comprehensive understanding of your customers and their pain points
- The foundation for building products that address market needs
- A unique value proposition based on real customer feedback
What they’re looking for?
- Fire in Your Belly
- You’re driven, hungry, and ready to make waves
- Big Problem, Bigger Vision
- You’re focused on a massive problem affecting humanity
- First Product
- You’ve got a basic MVP ready to put in customers’ hands
- All In
- You’re committed to every aspect of the Founder Pledge
- Founder DNA
- You’ve got ambition, grit, curiosity, and hustle. You’re coachable, and bring expertise and life experience to the table
- Game Plan
- You’ve mapped out your business on a Lean Canvas and can articulate your plan succinctly
- Digital Footprint
- You’ve started making noise online on social media, company websites, and other platforms
- Official Business
- You’ve established a registered private company capable of receiving private investment
Duration
- Up to nine months, with follow-on opportunities after
Time commitment
- Minimum of four hours per week; the more time you put in, the more time they put in.
Core Activities
- Monthly execution sprints ending with accountability checks
- One-on-one meetings with an entrepreneur-in-residence
- Group think tanks
- Building with fellow founders
- Guidance from industry and sector specialists
Eligibility Criteria
- Anyone is welcome to apply, but they prioritize companies that have demonstrated traction over those with just ideas. Traction may be a minimum viable product (MVP), demonstrated sales/customer commitment, or other forms of market validation. While this is not an exhaustive list, these examples help them determine the global potential of your problem and solution and your commitment to the venture you’ve begun and the long road ahead.
- Your participation in Founder Catalyst does not require you to give up any equity and is free of any fees on your part. Founder Catalyst is made possible by a partnership between Ministry of Awesome, Ara Institute of Canterbury (now part of Te Pūkenga), and ChristchurchNZ with sponsorship from Callaghan Innovation and support from many local, regional, and national organisations.
- They admit companies into the programme that have innovative, scalable products, services, and business models. Many of these companies do have a software or hardware component because of the market interest and likelihood to scale and grow internationally.
- Founder Catalyst is about moving you onward and upward no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey. For companies that have already raised capital or have significant revenues, they will focus on your next immediate goals whether that’s hiring, creating a board, expanding into new markets, launching new products, raising more capital, or something else altogether.
For more information, visit Founder Catalyst.