On 8 September, we welcomed founders, investors, partners and supporters from across the innovation ecosystem to the iconic Hope Street Hotel for LYVA Labs Demo Day 2026.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate the achievements of our latest Incubator cohort and portfolio companies. The event showcased some of the region's most ambitious innovators, offering attendees valuable insight into the ground-breaking ventures emerging from the Incubator programme and beyond.
We heard 12 quick-fire pitches from a mix of our graduating 2026 Incubator cohort and LYVA Labs portfolio companies currently fundraising for their next stage of growth.
From the moment the doors opened, there was a real sense of energy and ambition in the room. While some founders naturally felt nervous about how their pitches would land, their preparation, confidence and deep knowledge of their businesses quickly shone through once they stepped onto the stage.
What began as introductions soon developed into meaningful conversations, with discussions around investment, partnerships and growth opportunities continuing throughout the day.
The conversations tell their own story. Demo Day brought together 12 founders, 22 investor representatives from 16 funds and 14 ecosystem partners and supporters, generating high levels of follow on introductions and conversations. These numbers reflect the growing strength of the region's innovation ecosystem and the increasing appetite among investors and partners to connect with high potential early-stage companies.
While many of these conversations are still developing, the initial results highlight the value of bringing ambitious founders and key decisionmakers together in one room.
Joe Cooke, Client Services Manager at LYVA Labs said: "Demo Day is the culmination of the efforts and hard graft the founders have put in over the 6-month Incubator programme. It’s always a very proud moment for the team to see them pitch to a large investor audience; for the first time in many cases. More importantly – the event is increasingly driving new collaborations and follow-on investment conversations for the businesses we support.”
Helen Horton, CEO and Co-Founder UNVEIL Therapeutics said: "There is nothing quite like LYVA Labs".
The night didn't end there; we held a well-deserved graduation ceremony at Frederik's where the Incubator cohort celebrated their achievements from the programme. It was inspiring to see the connections formed within the group and how far each founder had progressed from the start of the programme to the end.
Helen Horton, CEO of Unveil Therapeutics said: “What I valued most about the LYVA Labs incubator was how tailored the support was to us. As the only therapeutics start-up on the programme, our needs were quite different, but the team really took the time to understand what UNVEIL was trying to achieve.”
Dominic Mosses, CEO of Protostem said: “Scientists have a very different language from the language of business. And that's what we've learn a lot about on the LYVA Labs Incubator - how people in those spheres talk to each other, and how they communicate ideas.”
Thomas Bather, CEO of Tomstech said: “They've accelerated my work by years to be honest. Their input into my business is invaluable really”.
Beyond Demo Day itself, that impact reflects something much bigger: LYVA Labs’ wider mission to drive economic growth through innovation across the Liverpool City Region. Through early-stage investment, Incubators and Accelerators, innovation consultancy, R&D funding and large-scale consortia building, we back the ideas, people and projects shaping the region’s future.
Events like Demo Day are only possible because of the support and investment of the Liverpool City Region Innovation Zone, along with the incredible support and engagement of our community.
If you would like a reminder of who was in the room, view our Demo Day Brochure here. To connect with any of the businesses or request an introduction, please get in touch. We’d be delighted to help.
Demo Day 2026 has sparked new investment, commercial and collaboration opportunities, highlighting the impact of bringing founders, investors and ecosystem partners together. We look forward to supporting this year’s cohort and portfolio companies as they continue to grow and shape the future of the Liverpool City Region.