Derry Chamber warmly welcomes the news that Catalyst has been ranked the leading start-up hub on the island of Ireland and one of the top ten in the UK in a prestigious special report by the Financial Times, Sifted and Statista.

The recognition places Catalyst 7th in the UK overall and notably as the only non-London hub to feature in the UK top ten, underlining the strength of our local business landscape and the growing reputation of the North West as a centre of entrepreneurial excellence.

With a strong presence in Derry, Catalyst’s success reflects the depth of talent, creativity and ambition that exists across the region.

The FT’s Europe’s Leading Start-Up Hubs report assessed 180 hubs across 25 countries. Rankings were based on feedback from investors, entrepreneurs and academics, alongside alumni reviews covering mentoring, infrastructure, legal and funding support.

Catalyst was also recognised as being 1st in the UK and 5th in Europe for quality of workspace and lab facilities. With 2,900 desk spaces and dedicated lab facilities across its three NI hubs, Catalyst is the only non-London UK hub in the European top ten start-up hubs for workspace.

Steve Orr, Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst, said:

“We are hugely encouraged to be ranked amongst the top start-up hubs in the UK, and particularly pleased to be highlighted as the top start-up hub on the island of Ireland. It is validation that the support we provide to founders in Northern Ireland is making a genuine difference in their entrepreneurial journeys. 

“We enable innovators to build repeatable revenue engines by putting market proof before product, making scalable entrepreneurship more achievable for more people.

“We are excited to continue working alongside Northern Ireland’s talented founders, industry, funders and policymakers to help more high-growth ventures reach their potential.”

This achievement reinforces what businesses across the North West already know, that our region is home to exceptional talent, bold ambition and globally competitive innovation.

Chamber Board member Natasha O’Hea, who serves as an Innovation Lead at Catalyst, said:

“This recognition means a great deal to those of us working with founders in the North West every day. Derry has always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, supported by a collaborative and close-knit business community. At Catalyst, we are delighted to play our part in helping turn that ambition into something real and scalable.

“To be the only non-London hub in the UK top ten is something the whole region can take pride in. The talent is here. The ideas are here. This ranking shows that the backing and infrastructure to support them are firmly in place.”

 The Chamber looks forward to working alongside stakeholders across the North West to ensure we remain at the forefront of entrepreneurship, opportunity and innovation.