The AMP Growth Incubator

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The AMP Growth Incubator

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12/06/2026

Pre-X Session 8 | Funding Pathways 💰

What a session. Today we really got into the detail of what funding actually looks like for early stage founders from equity and investment readiness, to navigating Invest NI, writing grant applications and hearing a real founder’s story from the inside.

A huge thank you to our incredible speakers 🎤 Ryan Williams for breaking down investment, dilution, and how to raise without getting caught out 🎤 Katherine Spratt for demystifying Invest NI and showing us exactly how to become a client 🎤 Orlaith Hurley for the no-nonsense guide to writing and winning grants 🎤 Mary Blake for sharing her real funding journey as a Pre X alumna and making it all feel possible.

Massive thanks to Invest NI for funding the Pre-Accelerator programme and making sessions like this happen. And a huge shoutout to the Founder Labs team for their continued support throughout. 🙌

If today’s session taught us one thing…know your funding options, sequence them deliberately, and never leave your grant application to the last minute.

Now go build that funding plan📋

09/06/2026

Pre Accelerator Programme: Session 7 ✅

Yesterday, our Pre-Accelerator cohort came together online for Session 7: MVP to Pilot, Building the Smallest Useable Product and Testing it With Real Customers.

A huge thank you to our Pre-X alumni founders and development partners who shared their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned throughout their MVP and pilot journeys:

🔹 Joe McGinnis (Bulki) & Kareem Mayan (LaunchV1)
🔹 Katrina Bradley (Primary NumeraSee) & Damien Caldwell (inico DIGITAL)
🔹 Lee-Anne Schmitz (My PromoPal) & Declan McDonough (Metadeck)

Our speakers provided invaluable insights into how they approached building their MVPs, tested their solutions with real customers, and adapted along the way. Most importantly, they shared the realities of the journey, what worked, what didn’t, and what they would do differently if starting again.

A big thank you to Chris Watts for hosting the session and to all of our speakers for their openness and generosity in sharing their experiences with the next generation of founders.

As always thank you to Invest Northern Ireland for funding this programme and to the amazing Founder Labs team for all their support.

08/06/2026

What an incredible honour💙

We are absolutely delighted and deeply grateful to have been named Small Business of the Year at this year’s North West Business Awards, proudly sponsored by Bauer Media NI.

To receive this recognition means so much to everyone at The AMP. From supporting ambitious entrepreneurs as they take their first steps, to helping businesses grow, innovate and thrive, we are passionate about creating opportunities and building a stronger entrepreneurial community in the North West. This award is a reflection of every founder, mentor, partner, supporter and team member who has been part of that journey, and we sincerely thank you all.

The celebrations were made even more special as our very own Entrepreneur in Residence, Jennifer Neff, was recognised with the Business Hero Award, sponsored by Ulster University. This honour could not be more deserved. Jennifer goes above and beyond every single day for the entrepreneurs we support, offering guidance, encouragement, expertise and unwavering belief in their potential. Her impact on so many businesses and individuals across the region is truly remarkable, and we couldn’t be prouder.

It was also wonderful to have the AMP team together for such a special evening. In the midst of busy schedules and exciting projects, taking the time to celebrate, reflect on how far we’ve come, and enjoy each other’s company made the night all the more meaningful.

Thank you to the North West Business Awards, Bauer Media NI, Ulster University, and everyone who continues to support The AMP. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together, and even more excited for what lies ahead.

Here’s to our amazing team, our entrepreneurs, and our community. This award belongs to all of you. ✨

05/06/2026

It’s not too late to get started with AI and we’re here to prove it!

Our next AMP Takeaway is here and we’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with the AICC for this one.

If you’ve been watching everyone talk about AI and quietly thinking “have I already missed the boat?” this one is for YOU. No jargon. No assumptions. No making you feel like you should already know this stuff. Just real, honest conversation about what AI tools are actually out there, what they do, and how to start using them in a way that makes sense for you.

We’re going to break it all down, answer every question and make sure you leave feeling like you actually get it.

As always, it’s going to be super chill and informal, everyone is welcome, no matter where you’re starting from.

🔗 Register via the link in bio

22/05/2026

Pre Accelerator Programme Session 4 ✅

This week’s session focused on one of the most important questions for any startup: Who is your customer, and how do you reach them?

We were delighted to welcome back Pre Accelerator alumni Jared Wilson from Sportbnk and Dan Smyth from Olympus Lab, who shared their experiences of building and growing their businesses since completing the programme in Cohort 1 and Cohort 2.

💡 Jared spoke about the importance of customer discovery, sharing that “strong customer discovery starts with listening for repeated patterns.” He highlighted how customer conversations can help founders better understand their audience, validate ideas, and ensure they are creating genuine value.

🎯 Dan encouraged participants to “validate the problem first, then build with confidence.” He shared practical advice on identifying ideal customers, testing demand early, and refining outreach strategies to understand what resonates most with potential customers.

A huge thank you to our Entrepreneur in Residence, Jennifer Neff, for sharing her journey with Access Elemental and providing valuable insights from her own entrepreneurial experience.

We would also like to thank Invest Northern Ireland for funding the programme and the Founder Labs team for their continued support in helping our founders develop and grow their businesses

18/05/2026

Pre Accelerator Programme Session 3✅

Friday’s session focused on what makes a startup fundable and credible. We covered problem quantification, helping founders define and communicate the real-world problem their business solves, and solution positioning, ensuring they can explain their offering clearly and effectively to different audiences.

The room was buzzing with breakthroughs and those lightbulb moments that make this programme so special.

An enormous thank you to Padraig Canavan, Ryan Williams & Jennifer Neff for delivering such a rich, impactful session. A massive thank you to Invest NI for making this programme possible through their generous funding. And a huge shoutout to the Founder Labs team for their incredible support 👏

30/04/2026

See you soon folks ☀️🕶️

24/04/2026

And just like that folks we are SOLD OUT🔥

AMP Takeaway is fully booked and honestly… we love to see it. The hype is real and we’re so excited to have you all there.

If you grabbed a spot but life gets in the way (it happens), please don’t ghost us, just drop us a message and let us know. We’ve got a waiting list of people ready to jump in, so your spot definitely won’t go to waste.

Big love for the support … see you there 👀

10/04/2026

Stop wasting hours on Canva…

Our next AMP Takeaway is here and we’re teaming up with Aligned Agency to show you how to actually make Canva work for your business (not the other way around).

Canva: Served Fresh is a hands-on workshop designed to cut through the noise. Whether you’re starting out or sharpening your brand, Paul and Emmett will guide you through building a strong identity with Brand Kits, time-saving hacks, and the shortcuts you’ll wish you knew sooner.

We’ll also dive into the real pros and cons of Canva, the most common mistakes (and how to avoid them), and how to use Claude AI to seriously speed up your workflow 🚀

You’ll leave with practical skills, fresh ideas, and a resource pack you can use straight away.

No filler. Just the good stuff.

Register now using the 🔗 in our bio

18/03/2026

We’re proud to support the City of Derry Triathlon 2026, which will host the Europe Triathlon Cup, Europe Triathlon Junior Cup, and Triathlon National Series on Saturday 5 September.

The event will bring international triathlon racing to the heart of the city, with athletes competing around the River Foyle, Peace Bridge and Ebrington Square.

Find out more:
codtriathlon.com

Follow the official event page for updates:
(IG) / City of Derry Triathlon 2026 (FB)

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