Real Futures: Finance, Funding & Sustainability
These office hours are practical, founder‑led working sessions inspired by the Nordic startup ecosystem - known for building globally recognised unicorns through transparent, iterative, action‑driven experimentation.
This session is designed to help you move your venture forward through testing, learning, and clear next steps. Every discussion is tailored to your specific stage, challenge, and growth pathway.
We’ll dive into how to:
Build financial clarity through early‑stage financial planning
Strengthen fundraising readiness and understand investor logic
Balance growth with long‑term sustainability and resilience
Navigate financial decision‑making with limited data
Build a business that is investable and sustainable
You’ll leave with: practical financial tools, a sharper understanding of investor expectations, and a framework for building a sustainable business from the start.
Session Lead: Abda Rothman
Abda Rothman is Head of Sustainability Risks at a leading Nordic bank, bringing 20 years of experience across financial services, regulatory transformation, and digital innovation.
She specialises in aligning regulatory requirements with strategic business goals - enabling organisations to stay compliant, competitive, and future‑ready. Her work bridges:
financial regulation and digital innovation
sustainability risk and opportunity
technology adoption in complex sectors
founder‑focused, action‑oriented experimentation
Abda brings a distinctly Nordic mindset - transparent, iterative, practical, and designed to create momentum. Her approach helps founders make informed financial decisions, understand risk, and build sustainable foundations that support long‑term growth.
Real Futures: Catalyst Converge Accelerator
Real Futures: Catalyst Converge is CSRI’s accelerator for ventures building sustainable real estate and built‑environment solutions. The programme accelerates bold, scalable innovation by connecting founders with researchers, industry partners, and real‑world pilot opportunities.
Ventures receive guided diagnostics, expert mentorship, access to PGIM and UCL resources, and a collaborative ecosystem focused on real‑asset transformation.
What the accelerator offers:
Tailored workshops and matched mentorship
Access to researchers, industry leaders, and investors
Pilot opportunities with PGIM
Support for innovation grant applications
Real‑world validation and market‑readiness
The accelerator integrates with the wider CSRI ecosystem - from Bartlett Invents to executive education, hackathons, and thought leadership - creating a clear path from idea to pilot to scale.
👉 Register your interest in Real Futures: Catalyst Converge Accelerator