Jon Bradford

Software developers are building a better future and moving our world forward. Software powered innovation is at the heart of breakthroughs and advancements; from smarter homes and healthcare to faster banking and e-commerce, from IoT Innovations to more efficient factories and industrial production. The developer workforce builds products and creates jobs while delivering societal and economic value. The Developers Alliance serves and supports the workforce that makes this better world possible. We are the world’s leading advocate for software developers and the companies invested in their success. Alliance members include industry leaders in consumer, enterprise, industrial, and emerging software, and a global network of more than 70,000 developers. Our Mission: Advocate on behalf of developers and the companies that depend on them, support the industry’s continued growth, and promote innovation.

Venture Academy is an intensive 8-week programme aimed at raising awareness of Venture Capital in partnership with Trinity College, Cambridge. We bridge the gap between academia and Venture Capital, giving students the tools, frameworks, and real-world exposure to think, analyse, and present like professional investors. Each cohort of 25 carefully selected undergraduate and postgraduate students - drawn from diverse academic disciplines across Cambridge University - working alongside early-stage startups preparing to fundraise. Organised into teams of five, participants conduct genuine due diligence, build investment theses, and present full investment memos to a panel of practising VC investors in a live mock Investment Committee session. This is not a simulation. Students engage with real founders, real data, and real investors. Guest speakers share their authentic investment approaches, decision-making criteria, and deal experience under Chatham House Rules. No templates. No prescribed answers. Just rigorous, evidence-based analysis developed through intellectual honesty and genuine inquiry. The programme culminates in a mock IC session judged by experienced VCs, where teams are evaluated on analytical depth, quality of investment thesis, and their ability to defend their thinking under pressure. Venture Academy is built on a simple belief: the best way to learn venture capital is to practise it. Applications open annually. We look for intellectual curiosity, diversity of perspective, and a willingness to challenge received wisdom.

The NDRC is Ireland’s national startup accelerator programme for globally ambitious entrepreneurs, powered by Dogpatch Labs in partnership with Portershed, RDI Hub, and Republic of Work. We help startups to succeed at every stage of their journey through coaching and mentoring, with a founder-first approach delivered by international experts. NDRC early stage supports including Office Hours and Founder Weekend to give founders early feedback on their idea, and help them navigate the ecosystem quickly. Our Pre-Accelerator programmes help develop and structure a startup idea to raise investment and reach accelerator-readiness. The national NDRC Accelerator @ Dogpatch Labs offers €100k founder-friendly investment using a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) with mentorship from 40+ successful entrepreneurs and weekly coaching from Entrepreneurs in Residence. Additional value-adds include tailored supports, 12 months of space at Dogpatch Labs, €500k perks, post-accelerator support and more. Our Masterclass Series educates members of the ecosystem such as startup hubs, corporates, and Government agencies on how to support startup teams with significant scale potential.

Dynamo Ventures is a supply chain and mobility investor, focused on pre-seed and seed-stage opportunities, and invests only in enterprise business models. Learn more at https://www.dynamo.vc/about

Ormeau Baths is a co-working space and tech community that is being built in an historic former bath house in the heart of Belfast city centre to create an entrepreneurial campus that helps the brightest and best indigenous tech start-ups.

Motive Partners is a private investment firm exclusively focused on financial technology and technology-enabled business services companies, ranging from early-stage ventures to growth equity and buyout, primarily based in North America and Europe. The firm invests across five primary subsectors: Banking & Payments; Capital Markets; AI, Data & Analytics; Insurance; and Wealth and Asset Management; and Motive Partners portfolio companies benefit from the firm’s fully integrated, proven Investor, Operator, Innovator (IOI) model, which brings together world-class fintech leaders and capabilities with deep industry knowledge, insight and experience. With offices in New York City, London, and Berlin, Motive Partners delivers differentiated expertise, connectivity, and capabilities to create long-term value in financial technology companies. More information on Motive Partners can be found at www.motivepartners.com.