Real Futures: Governance, Risk & Scaling
These office hours are practical, founder‑led sessions inspired by the Nordic startup ecosystem - known for producing global unicorns through transparent, iterative, action‑driven experimentation.
This session is designed to help you move your venture forward through testing, learning, and clear, founder‑friendly guidance. Every conversation is tailored to your specific stage, challenges, and operational reality.
We’ll work through how to:
Build early governance and structures that support you rather than slow you down
Understand risks as you grow, especially when operating in regulated or sensitive sectors
Prepare for scale in a pragmatic, founder‑friendly way
Make decisions that balance speed with long‑term resilience
Create simple, lightweight systems that help you grow without friction
You’ll leave with: clearer governance foundations, a practical approach to managing risk, and tools for scaling your organisation without unnecessary complexity.
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 supports founders in understanding risk, designing lightweight governance, and building sustainable foundations that accelerate growth rather than restrict it.
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