Earlier this month, Sheffield Technology Parks (STP) hosted the graduation event for Project26 – a new programme designed to support very early-stage tech founders as they navigate those important first steps into startup life.

Designed by Incubator Manager Rose Tran, Project26 was developed in response to high demand for the Cooper Project, ensuring that even more Sheffield founders could access structured support at the earliest stage of their journey. The graduation event marked a key milestone, giving seven founders the opportunity to pitch their tech startups to a panel of experienced ecosystem partners and startup experts.

The audience included STP CEO Tom Wolfenden, Tech Scale Up Advisors from Business Sheffield, members of the Barclays Eagle Labs team, STP’s Entrepreneur in Residence, and fellow founders from the Cooper Project – creating both a supportive and suitably challenging environment.

Learning to step back in order to move forward

Each founder delivered a five-minute pitch, sharing not only what they are building, but how their thinking has evolved during the programme.

A common theme emerged throughout the event: the importance of validation. Several founders shared how Project26 had encouraged them to pause, reassess, and refine their ideas, in some cases leading to significant pivots.

As Entrepreneur in Residence, Chris Dalrymple reflected:
“What’s been really heartening to see is how many of you have gone backwards to go forwards. Naturally you want to progress, but being able to stop, take a step back and make changes is really good to see.”

Meet the founders

The cohort showcased a diverse range of ideas, underpinned by different experiences and motivations:

• Rasem (Wahaj Saif)
  Rasem is developing electric machine design software to improve accuracy in the building of motor engines, reducing costs and increasing efficiency, initially targeting the motorsport sector. Through Project26, Wahaj has strengthened his approach to validation and refined his understanding of market positioning and fundraising readiness.

• HomeNotes (Jane Middlehirst)
  HomeNotes is a digital platform that helps architects and homeowners manage renovation decisions in one place. Insights gained during Project26 led Jane and her cofounder to pivot their primary market toward architects, where demand and value are significantly stronger.

• GoKleen (Oluwatobi Alignon-Daniel)
  GoKleen is an on-demand marketplace for cleaning services, connecting users with providers. The programme - including supportive feedback from his peers - helped Oluwatobi rethink his initial approach, sharpening his focus on key customer segments and refining his pricing and business model.

• Woodcock AI (John Pozzi)
  Woodcock AI uses self-learning artificial intelligence within CCTV systems to detect hazards before they escalate, particularly in high-risk environments like waste recycling sites. Project26 has supported John in refining his messaging and identifying the value of focusing on a specific sector first.

• Adore Her (Kate Cory-Wright)
  Adore Her is a maternity clothing rental app that uses ‘fit intelligence’ to match clothing to changing body shapes during pregnancy. Through Project26, Kate has explored how data can underpin the platform and begun building partnerships to strengthen this capability.

• Altura AI (Rylan Fox)
  Altura AI provides AI-powered tools to help trade businesses recover lost revenue from missed calls and enquiries. During the programme, Rylan pivoted from a narrow, single client-specific solution to a broader, scalable offering with wider market potential.

• Crave (Paul Oseghale)
  Crave is a platform to assist users overcome addictions (such as smoking and sugar), focused on understanding and responding to cravings in real time. With support from Project26, Paul developed and tested an MVP, gaining early validation and insight into both consumer and business applications.

Building confidence under pressure

Pitching in front of a room full of entrepreneurs and startup experts is no small feat, particularly for founders at such an early stage. But the confidence and clarity the cohort demonstrated at the event highlighted just how far they have come.

Rose Tran reflected on this progress:
“I’m so proud to see the difference from day one of the programme when I asked you to deliver your elevator pitch and some of you said you were terrified! Everyone has done so well today under pressure.”

Morgan Killick, a Tech Scale Up Advisor from Business Sheffield, emphasised the importance of developing communication skills alongside building a business:
“Running a business and talking about a business are two different things – and you do have to be good at both as founders. Well done to all of you today, you spoke about your businesses well in a pretty intimidating environment. Keep on doing it - the more practice you have, the better you will get.”

A pipeline of future founders

The Project26 graduation event was a celebration and showcase of progress, learning and resilience, and it demonstrated the supportive ecosystem we have in Sheffield, invested in the experiences of early-stage tech ventures.

The strength of the pitches, self-reflection and the adjustments and pivots we heard about, are all testament to the importance of giving early-stage founders space to test ideas, challenge assumptions and build confidence - and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

Well done to all seven founders, and thank you to everyone who came along to support this event.