Northern Ireland start-up hub recognised amongst the top in Europe in Financial Times special report

Catalyst has once again been recognised as one of the leading start-up hubs in Europe in a special report produced by the Financial Times, tech news platform Sifted and specialist data provider Statista.

Catalyst is an independent, non-profit science and technology hub focused on creating opportunity for all through world leading innovation and supporting entrepreneurship in Northern Ireland from its hubs in Belfast and Londonderry.

The research placed Catalyst at number 8 out of the 150 start-up hubs evaluated for facilities based on the quality of its workspace and lab space.

Catalyst also placed in the top 20 start-up hubs in the UK and among the top 100 in Europe, with an overall ranking of 94 out of the 150 locations which had the performance and success rates of their business support programmes, incubators and accelerators analysed for the report.

Among the factors incorporated into the ranking process were the provision of mentoring and training; infrastructure, including offices, labs and software; legal assistance; business development advice; networking opportunities; funding opportunities; and the level of cost and equity taken.

Germany’s UnternehmerTUM led the overall European ranking for the second year running, closely followed by Paris-based start-up campus Station F. The country with the most hubs in the ranking is the UK with 29 and Catalyst was one of only six hubs in the UK top 20 not in London.

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Mervyn Watley, director of Property & Community at Catalyst, said: “We are once again hugely encouraged to be ranked amongst the top start-up hubs in Europe and particularly excited the quality of our facilities scored so highly. Over 3,000 start-up hubs were considered by the researchers so to be on the list in the top 100 is an amazing feat.

“Catalyst’s mission is to create opportunity for all from world leading innovation and we continue to believe the talent and quality of the entrepreneurs we have here in Northern Ireland is as good as, if not better than, anywhere in the world.

“This ranking is a good sign that the support we provide to Northern Ireland’s innovation sector is making a difference. It is also incredibly positive to have three other hubs on the island of Ireland recognised for the support they offer to local entrepreneurs and we’d like to congratulate all of them on achieving a place in the list.”

The ranking can be found here.