The SBC Catalyser Programme
The AI-Powered Strategy Retreat for Therapeutics Start-ups
Applications: 20 May – 20 June 2026
Programme: 13 July – 16 July 2026
Venue: Sandon Manor, Hertfordshire
Catalyser 2026 is a three-and-a-half-day immersive programme in the Hertfordshire countryside, designed to help founders from eight therapeutics startups sharpen strategy, strengthen positioning, and increase their chance of success while standing out to pharma, partners and investors.
Catalyser blends:
- strategic deep-dives
- AI-powered tools
- live workshops with expert mentoring
- peer-to-peer collaboration
- conversations around what drives biotech success.
Designed for ambitious therapeutics startups around pre-seed to seed stage, particularly discovery and pre-clinical companies.
What founders will work on
- Market opportunity & pharma value chains
- Positioning & differentiation
- Clinical, regulatory & health-economic thinking
- Technology & IP strategy
- Business models & fundraising logic
- Leadership, storytelling & stand-out strategy
The programme is highly interactive, with live exercises, panel discussions, AI-assisted workshops and direct feedback from industry leaders.
The Retreat Experience
This is not a traditional accelerator.
Catalyser is designed as a focused strategy retreat, combining high-level thinking with space for reflection, walking discussions, shared meals and meaningful founder interactions in a countryside setting.
Because breakthrough thinking rarely happens between back-to-back meetings and overflowing inboxes.
Who you are
- You are developing innovations for the benefit of human health
- You are en route to building a first proof of concept
- You have integrated digital and data technologies (ie ML/AI) in your R&D workflow, or you are planning to integrate them
- You have an existing presence in the UK, or you are planning to establish a presence in the UK
- You have an ambitious leadership team of at least 2-3 that can commit to full participation in the programme
Who we are
- Campus of 45+ therapeutics companies and largest cluster of CGT companies in Europe
- Companies based at SBC have raised more than £4bn since SBC’s birth in 2012, including 7 exits
- Our campus also includes GSK, LifeArc, CGTC and Cytiva
- We provide lab space, office space and business development support to our occupiers
- Our Lab Hotel provides free lab-space for 6 months to early-stage companies
Our Partners:
What founders will work on
- Market opportunity & pharma value chains
- Positioning & differentiation
- Clinical, regulatory & health-economic thinking
- Technology & IP strategy
- Business models & fundraising logic
- Leadership, storytelling & stand-out strategy
The programme is highly interactive, with live exercises, panel discussions, AI-assisted workshops and direct feedback from industry leaders.
The retreat experience
This is not a traditional accelerator.
Catalyser is designed as a focused strategy retreat, combining high-level thinking with space for reflection, walking discussions, shared meals and meaningful founder interactions in a countryside setting.
Because breakthrough thinking rarely happens between back-to-back meetings and overflowing inboxes.
Who you are
- You are developing innovations for the benefit of human health
- You are en route to building a first proof of concept
- You have integrated digital and data technologies (ie ML/AI) in your R&D workflow, or you are planning to integrate them
- You have an existing presence in the UK, or you are planning to establish a presence in the UK
- You have an ambitious leadership team of at least 2-3 that can commit to full participation in the programme
Who we are
- Campus of 45+ therapeutics companies and largest cluster of CGT companies in Europe
- Companies based at SBC have raised more than £4bn since SBC’s birth in 2012, including 7 exits
- Our campus also includes GSK, LifeArc, CGTC and Cytiva
- We provide lab-space, office-space and business development support to our occupiers
- Our Lab Hotel provides free lab-space for 6 months to 7 selected early-stage companies
Our Partners:
Alumni
Find out about our previous Catalyser cohort members here.
