Kickstart operates as a non-profit startup incubator and hacker house, accelerating the work of obsessed young people with an average age of 21 who are building to solve scientific, technological, and societal challenges. We exists to identify, connect, and support high-potential founders and builders at an early stage, with a particular focus on individuals who would otherwise lack access to elite networks, mentorship, and capital. During the reporting period, the company delivered the Founders Under 24 programme, supporting 40 selected participants from a highly competitive national applicant pool. Participants were provided with structured mentorship from experienced founders, including individuals who have previously built unicorn-scale companies, alongside specialist speakers covering technology, company formation, fundraising, and execution. The programme was delivered on a no-fee and no-equity basis, ensuring accessibility and alignment with the company’s community interest purpose. Participants received practical support including co-working arrangements, access to software and technology perks, curated introductions, and ongoing referrals for technical, commercial, and fundraising support. The programme culminated in a demo day attended by approximately 40 venture capital firms and individual investors, providing founders with the opportunity to pitch their work and form relationships with long-term capital partners. The programme delivered measurable community benefit. Several fellows have since gone on to raise six-figure investment rounds, join fast-growing startups in founding or early technical teams, and receive national and international recognition, including features in publications such as Forbes. Now a decade in, alumni of the wider Kickstart Global community have built companies with a combined valuation in excess of $500 million, with backers including leading global investors. The Kickstart team believes that enabling high-potential young people to meet, collaborate, and build together produces long-term positive outcomes for the UK innovation ecosystem. The company’s activities directly support talent development, entrepreneurship, and the creation of future high-impact businesses, consistent with its community interest objectives. The people building the future should know one another and have their work accelerated. That is why we exists.

We have placed significant emphasis on continuous engagement with its beneficiaries and wider stakeholder community. Throughout the reporting period, the company actively consulted with programme participants (“fellows”), mentors, speakers, and ecosystem partners through direct conversations, informal feedback sessions, and ongoing dialogue during and after programme delivery. Fellows were encouraged to provide candid feedback on programme structure, mentorship quality, community experience, and operational delivery. This feedback was collected primarily through direct conversations and recurring feedback loops rather than formal surveys, reflecting the small, high-trust nature of the community. Feedback from participants consistently highlighted the value of the community itself, the density of ambitious peers, and access to experienced founders. Insights gathered through this consultation have directly influenced the company’s strategic direction. In particular, feedback indicated that the company’s greatest strength lies in cultivating a focused, high-signal, and tightly connected founder community. As a result, the directors have decided to prioritise building a more streamlined and deeper community experience in the year ahead, rather than expanding participant numbers. One fellow summarised this sentiment as follows: “To be fair, all the cracked founders I know are already in Kickstart.” Again we have been told: “It's rare to attend an event and feel as though you need to speak with EVERYONE in the room. Incredibly high signal.” We this ongoing consultation process essential to ensuring that the company’s activities remain aligned with the needs of its community and continue to deliver meaningful public benefit.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration