'We were incredibly impressed by the standard of pitches': Four Northern Ireland entrepreneurs secure place in £50,000 Ulster Bank Accelerator final
Aaron Carey, Peter Gilleece, Sarah McKegney and Cormac Venny will compete for the top prize at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards after impressing judges in a live semi-final
Four Northern Ireland entrepreneurs have secured their place in the final of the 2026 Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch competition, where they will compete for a £50,000 investment.
Following a competitive semi-final pitching event held on Tuesday, the panel of judges selected the founders that would progress to the grand finale on March 25.
The judging panel included, Eddie McKeever, managing director at McKeever Hotel Group; Caroline O’Neill, podcast host and founder of Digg; Jenda McSwiggan, head of growth operations at NatWest Cushon; and Gareth McDonald, co-founder of Farmdrive and winner of the pitch competition in 2025.
One hundred entrepreneurs submitted pitch videos as part of this year’s competition, and the finalists were chosen from a shortlist of 12 companies.
After hearing 12 entrepreneurs in a live pitch and Q&A session, the judges selected Aaron Carey, Preservoir; Peter Gilleece, Vikela; and Sarah McKegney, Percy & Pop as their finalists. A fourth entrepreneur, Cormac Venny, HIP Psychology also claimed a spot at the final after topping the public vote.
The judges said each of the founders impressed the panel with their confident pitch delivery, clear asks, enthusiasm for their business venture and incredible knowledge about their relevant products and industries.
The finalists will now take to the stage in front of a live audience at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards ceremony, where one entrepreneur will be crowned the 2026 Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch winner and walk away with the £50,000 prize.
Gabi Burnside, Accelerator journey manager, said: “We were incredibly impressed by the standard of pitches delivered at the semi-final. Each of the 12 entrepreneurs delivered outstanding pitches and it was a very challenging decision for the judging panel to select the finalists.
“These four founders have shown exceptional potential, and we are excited to see them take to the stage at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards as they compete for this year’s £50,000 prize.”
The Ulster Bank Accelerator Pitch competition forms part of celebrations marking 10 years of the bank’s accelerator community in Northern Ireland which has supported more than 1,000 entrepreneurs to scale and succeed since opening its doors in 2016.