Digital Catapult has selected ten startups from across the UK’s creative industries to drive the application of deep tech and break down barriers to success for underrepresented founders.
Working in partnership with Sony Music UK and Sony Music Publishing UK, Digital Catapult will support the fledgling firms through its Black Founders Programme, an initiative designed to help underrepresented entrepreneurs increase their investment readiness by providing mentorship and knowledge to help scale and commercialise their deep tech solutions.
Companies from the 2023 cohort have since formed partnerships with large corporates, received interest from angel investors, and 80% have reported that they increased their investment readiness as a result of the scheme.
This time around, the ten companies chosen for the programme will focus on applying immersive technologies into creative industries, including storytelling, gaming, music production, and education.
Among the 2024 cohort are Cambridge XR, which is developing a VR system to explore aviation history, Syncd:in Limited, who are finding ways to simplify global music rights and metadata management for Black artists, and TwoShot Ltd, a firm tackling copyright issues related to AI-generated music using voice detection technology.
Other projects include Certi.fi World’s work to combine blockchain technology and augmented reality to verify and issue credentials and certification for artists, and SymphoMe, which aims to use personalised AI to make learning music more interactive.
“The new cohort’s innovative new solutions will undoubtedly unlock new opportunities to grow the UK’s creative economy,” said Jessica Rushworth, chief policy and strategy officer at Digital Catapult.
“We will ensure that the participating startups receive the support they need to scale faster and demonstrate the practical application of their solutions to industry, investors and the creative community.”
Research shows that just 0.2% of total investment funding in the UK goes to Black-founded businesses, and that AI and machine learning companies with Black founders represent only 2.32% of the sector.

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Notably, in 2022 Black founded companies within the immersive tech sector raised an all-time high of £27 million, accounting for 5.32% of investment that year, but 90% of that came down to just one significant deal.
Michael Adex, ambassador for the Black Founders Programme, said: “As a founder and innovator myself, I am proud to support the second cohort of Black entrepreneurs.
“This programme provides a showcase for UK Black tech talent and the potential within our community, and I’m eager to see how their ideas, their products and their business vision will help create meaningful change and inspire future generations.”

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