01
Research
What's the problem you're trying to fix, and is it real?
Before we talk about your solution, I want to understand the problem. Who has it, how much does it matter to them, and what are they doing about it now?
Mentoring for founders
You can build it. But is it a business?
I help founders work out whether their idea is worth pursuing, and then how to make it happen. That means looking at the problem, the customers, the technology and the people you'll need. I spent over 25 years running a technology business, so I already know how to avoid the common mistakes.
Where I can help
Most founders need help in more than one of these areas. We can start wherever you're stuck.
02
Commercial
Is it something people actually want and will pay for?
Who are your customers, and what research have you done? Is the opportunity real? Just because you can build it and it's new doesn't make it a viable business.
03
CTO
Is the technical solution the right one?
I can answer your technical questions, probe the solution you have in mind and be a sounding board while you decide. That includes whether to build or buy, and which suppliers to use.
04
Mentoring & coaching
How do I get started, and who do I hire?
Practical help with the first steps: which people you actually need, where to find them and how to hire them.
How it works
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A first conversation
Tell me about your idea and where you're stuck. There's no charge for this.
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Working sessions
We go through the difficult questions together and agree what you need to do next.
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Someone to call on
As things move forward, I'm there to talk things through and to challenge you when it's needed.
For innovation centres
I also work with incubators, accelerators and university innovation teams. I can support a whole cohort, or just one company that needs some extra help.
- One-to-one mentoring for founders, from the first idea through to their first hires.
- Workshops on testing the problem, the Business Model Canvas, lean start-up and getting ready for investors.
About me
I'm Alan Hughes. I've spent more than 25 years in the photonics and fibre-optics industry, where the products go into research, data communications, defence, high-reliability systems and HVDC energy. As Executive Director at Laser 2000, I was involved in most parts of the business, including technology, marketing, commercial and people. I also jointly led the company's VIMBO exit (a vendor-initiated management buyout), which moved it into employee ownership.
Over that time I've seen plenty of good ideas that never became good businesses. Usually the problem wasn't real enough, customers wouldn't pay, the technology was wrong or the team wasn't right. I set up Catalyse to help founders and innovation centres spot those problems early, while they're still cheap to fix.
I'm based in Brighton & Hove.
Got an idea you want to test?
Send me an email with a few lines about what you're working on.
alan@catalyse.me.uk