From Idea to First Ten Customers
Co-builders gives you the practical support, tools and expertise to turn an idea into something customers want - from exploring the problem and testing your assumptions to building your offer and winning your first customers.
Start where you are and access the support you need, when you need it.
Co-builders is Catalyst’s early-stage innovation programme for people who want to explore a problem, validate an idea and begin developing a viable route to market.
Participants follow a structured, evidence-led process based on Disciplined Entrepreneurship. Through practical learning, customer research, workshops, coaching and specialist support, they test their assumptions and make informed decisions about what to do next.
Turn an early idea into something you can test.
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Tell us about the problem or idea you want to explore.
Complete a short application
Explain what you're interested in testing
Share what you hope to achieve through Co-builders
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Get clear on the problem you want to solve and who experiences it.
Explore opportunities and ideas
Understand potential customers
Define the problem worth solving
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Find out whether your assumptions hold up before investing heavily in a solution.
Speak to potential customers
Test demand
Challenge assumptions
Refine your proposition
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Turn what you have learned into something people can experience, test or buy.
Shape your offer
Build and experiment quickly
Develop your business model
Learn what creates value for customers
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Move from validation towards real market traction.
Identify your first target customers
Learn how to reach them
Test your sales approach
Build your early customer pipeline
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Put what you have learned into practice and establish the foundations for repeatable growth.
Convert early interest into customers
Learn from real customer behaviour
Strengthen your proposition
Understand what to do next
From idea to evidence
Explore Co-builders
Participants receive practical support, training and guidance throughout the programme to help them test assumptions, build evidence and make informed decisions.
Expert support
Practical tools
Peer network
Is Co-builders for you?
Co-builders is for people who want to turn a problem or early-stage idea into something clearer, stronger and backed by evidence.
01
You have an idea, problem or opportunity
You don't need a finished business concept. You might simply have something you believe is worth exploring.
02
You want to find out what customers really need
You're willing to test your assumptions, talk to potential customers and learn from what you discover.
03
You want to turn thinking into action
You are ready to experiment, build, test and take practical steps towards your first customers.
Then retain and strengthen the reassurance:
You don't need a registered company, finished product, business plan or previous startup experience.