Katapult Programme - For Start-Ups with Global Ambition
Applications are being accepted for the next Katapult programme which will commence on Monday 25th September 2023.
For companies or promoters interested in being accepted on to to this programme, a completed application must be submitted before the deadline (5pm, Friday 15th September). Click on the apply now button below.
Limited places are available on this programme and all completed applications will be reviewed and applicants contacted to assess suitability.

LEO DLR are delighted to announce a course to support high potential companies in the region.

This course is suitable for companies or promoters who;
- Have a product or service that is capable of being exported
- Are interested in going through an intensive process to validate themselves and their business
- Want to get their business started on the right footing
- Are interested in attracting investment
- Are interested in going through a project focused process
'The real value add for participants will be validating themselves and their business and to be supported in creating a peer reviewed business proposition' Owen Laverty, Head of Economics and Enterprise DLR
Who is it suitable for:
- Business owners or founders
- A company does not have to be formed or trading
- Promoters that have ambitious projects
- Click here for further details.
- Following an application for the programme, we will contact you to gain further knowledge of your business model.
COURSE OUTLINE
The Katapult Programme will be held over 10 evenings (Mondays : 6pm - 9pm).
Date | Expert | Session |
Monday 25th September | - Denise O Grady
- Owen Laverty
| Session 1: - Introduction, Person, Product Validation (3hrs)
|
Monday 2nd October | | Session 2 - Customer Discovery and Business Validation (3 hrs)
|
Monday 9th October | | Session 3 - Value Proposition and Business Validation (3hrs)
|
Monday 16th October | | Session 4 |
Monday 23rd October | | Session 5 - Legals and Funding (2 hrs)
- First Pitch Deck (1 hrs)
|
Monday 6th November | | Session 6 - Business model (1.5hrs)
- Routes to market (1.5hrs)
|
Monday 13th November | | Session 7 - How to market the product / service (3hrs)
|
Monday 20th November | | Session 8 - How to build your product (1 hr)
- Sales Process & Pipeline Management (2 hrs)
|
Monday 27th November | | Session 9 - Investor Memo Review & Pitch Practice (3hrs)
|
Monday 4th December | - Denise O Grady
- Owen Laverty
| Session 10 |
An initiative of LEO DLR and supported by the following experts in their fields;
- Denise O'Grady - Programme Manager

Denise is a mentor working with several startups and commercialisation projects nationwide. She is a serial entrepreneur in Ed-tech & Fin-tech and has built and scaled three companies to date. In her most recent venture Way2Pay, she raised €1 million in investment and brought the company on a journey from digital start up, through an intensive growth process, scaling both in Ireland and the UK |
- Conor McNally - Customer Validation

Conor is startup business development manager at Adapt Centre, TCD. Previously he was the founder of a startup "ShotClip" that secured VC funding and scaled to 300k users. Conor has worked in the tech industry for 20 years in both business development and product management and is a seasoned entrepreneur. He currently heads the Spinout/Startup strategy of the Adapt Centre with approx. 20 startups currently in development. He also runs the pre-accelerator programme in Adapt. |
- John O Grady - Finance
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John is the financial controller at Bord Bia and is a well known presenter and lecturer in all things finance. He has been a partner with Xero in Ireland for 20 years and has worked with many Irish startups building and monitoring financial plans. John has the unique combination of an accounting backgrouond with 20 years experience in deep tech companies, including Wall Data, NetManage & WBT. |
- Greg Fry - Digital Marketing

Greg is an international trainer and one of Ireland's top Social Media experts. He believes that in order to make social media work for your business you must have a clear business goal, a clearly defined strategy, great content and make sure that everything you do is measurable. Greg has worked with top companies including: IDA, Abbott Labs, Bord Bia, Sage, Enterprise Ireland, Ulster Bank, Microsoft, Vodafone, Virgin Media, Symantec, Coca Cola, Hellenic and many of Ireland's Local Enterprise Offices. |
The Programme Fee is €150 per person and is payable prior to course commencement.