With only 0.89% of investment in the UK going to Black founders in the ten years between 2013-2023, and just 0.14% of investment going to Black female entrepreneurs, the programme provides investment-readiness support, peer-to-peer mentoring and business strategy advice to refine founders’ solutions. Participants receive hands-on access to deep tech expertise and technological consultancy in areas including artificial intelligence and immersive technologies to strengthen their business models and help raise investment in the long-term.   

Now in its third year, the latest cohort features companies tackling challenges across the creative industries, from reimagining classic stories with augmented reality, to using AI-powered tools to support dyslexic children. Other solutions include new tools to support grassroots sports, fan-first ticketing platforms, digital tools to support the beauty sector, and digital passports to ensure the safe and sustainable movement of creative goods, meeting demand for new solutions to grow the sector and equip the UK to be future-ready.  

Participants in previous cohorts of the Black Founders Programme have gone onto achieve further success, securing investment and applying their deeptech innovation to industry. Happaning and Loud Parade for example, received over £1 million of investment and grants within two years of engaging with the programme, and Immersely recently received £400,000 in investment from Digital Catapult to scale its solution and transform the interactive media landscape.    

Jessica Rushworth, Chief Partnerships Officer at Digital Catapult, said: “This wave of startups represents the UK’s diverse creative economy and the innovative ideas driving new deep tech breakthroughs into music, entertainment and culture. The Black Founders Programme helps unlock growth through access to tools and connections, and we’re delighted to continue working with Sony Music Group and Channel 4 to support these creative deep tech companies to scale successfully.”   

Hari Ashurst-Venn, Senior Director of Digital & New Tech, Sony Music UK, said: "We are proud to announce the third cohort of the Black Founders Programme, alongside Digital Catapult, Channel 4 and Sony Music Publishing. The calibre of this cohort is exceptional and aligns with the rapid advancements we're seeing in the industry, spanning the full spectrum of music and entertainment. We look forward to continuing to offer world-class mentorship, hands-on support, and routes to partnership to help guide these ideas to market alongside the cohort of entrepreneurs.”

James Bullock, Operations Manager, Sony Music Publishing UK said: “We are delighted to announce the 12 companies and their entrepreneurial founders who make up the 2025 cohort. 

“Along with our sister company Sony Music, Channel 4 and Digital Catapult, we are excited to provide each founder with access to our network, resources, and executive expertise to help them develop their unique business solutions.”

Wayne Charran, Head of Technology for Data, Architecture & Technology Strategy and Marcia Williams, Director of Equity & Inclusion, Channel 4 said: “Channel 4 is delighted to welcome this year’s twelve outstanding Black founded startups onto the Black Founders Programme. By connecting brilliant founders with mentorship, technical support and targeted routes to funding, the programme is helping powerful ideas become investable, scalable businesses that can shape the UK’s creative technology economy. Our Equity by Design strategy and initiatives like Black in Business, The Plug and Untapped demonstrate our ongoing commitment to addressing the issue of access to investment and support, opening more doors into the industry.”

 The 12 companies are: 

• Halo + Echo: an AI-native creative studio helping brands stay relevant online by creating original content and digital campaigns, drawing on 15 years creative expertise and powered by an AI tool, HypeMuse (founded by Katie Debrah)
• Limitless XYZ: a music-tech company reshaping the music industry through innovation, data, and transparency, creating a future where artists lead with an AI-powered operating system designed to give artists financial clarity, growth insights and career education (founded by Steven Paul Goldman & Alexander Kenlock)
• Lurexo: a technology company redefining the live entertainment industry through a transparent, fan-first ticketing platform to tackle scalpers, bots and hidden fees while empowering fans, artists and venues with a fair and secure way to buy and sell event tickets (founded by Tayo Odesanya)
• Melunos: a beauty-tech business built for creators powering the global beauty economy, connecting visibility, bookings and payments in one seamless system helping independent professionals run smarter, grow faster, and own their client relationships (founded by Tai Broadhurst)
• MIXD Reality: an award-winning augmented reality (AR) tech company transforming how stories are told, experienced and remembered, through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) storytelling platform that empowers publishers, educators and brands to transform their own content into immersive AR experiences – no coding required (founded by Pamela Aculey)
• Storyhouse: making recording family history practical, accessible, and enduring, Storyhouse helps families, elders and communities capture, preserve and share life stories with dignity and ease through a platform that organises storytelling through voice and video, photos and transcripts (founded by Nnanna Ogugua Adim)
• Loujo: helps dyslexic children learn and retain information 30% more than traditional text-based learning through educational songs (founded by Alex Molokwu)
• PRYNTD: converging physical ticketing with an accessibility focused streaming service to remove physical and digital barriers at live events to support disabled audiences through extended reality (founded by Berne Omolafe) 
• SportQube: revolutionising grassroots sports by empowering clubs with affordable video technology and AI-driven analytics on one platform to help nurture talent, inspire growth and creative a level playing field for all grassroots clubs (founded by Jason Calder-McLaren)
• Symolem: building digital trade passports that move with creative goods, across the music, film and fashion industries, ensuring they travel securely, compliantly, and sustainably (founded by Lavinia Fernandes)
• That’s My Jamm: AI-powered creativity built on culture, trends, and insight, by blending trend intelligence with AI innovation into one platform to empower creators in a fast-moving cultural landscape (founded by Chloe Ameh)
• Undarated: a football investment simulation platform for talent identification combining entertainment with credible verification of scouting ability (founded by Daniel Sofoluke)

For more startup news, check out the other articles on the website, and subscribe to the magazine for free. Listen to The Cereal Entrepreneur podcast for more interviews with entrepreneurs and big-hitters in the startup ecosystem.