Real Futures: Marketing & Go-To-Market
Early‑stage founders often struggle with the same question:
How do you market your product when resources are limited, the audience is unclear, and traction needs to happen fast?
This Real Futures session creates a practical, founder‑led space inspired by the Nordic startup ecosystem - a region known for producing globally successful, impact‑driven companies. These office hours are designed to help you move forward through testing, learning, and immediate action, always tailored to your stage and specific challenges.
You bring your current marketing or GTM blocker.
We work through it together.
What we’ll focus on
Developing and testing marketing strategies that fit your real resources
Identifying early customers and distribution channels
Experimenting with messaging, positioning, and traction tactics
Getting clarity on what to test next and how to measure it
Cutting through noise to find what moves your startup forward now
This is a working session, not a lecture. Expect practical guidance and fast learning cycles.
Who this session is for
Early‑stage founders building their first marketing engine
Teams exploring their first channels and customer segments
Anyone who needs clarity on positioning, messaging or routes to market
Builders looking to move quickly, experiment smartly, and avoid wasted effort
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 - helping organisations stay compliant, competitive, and future‑ready. Her work sits at the intersection of:
financial regulation and digital innovation
sustainability risk and opportunity
technology adoption in complex sectors
founder‑focused, action-oriented experimentation
Abda’s guidance brings a Nordic startup mindset: transparent, iterative, practical, and designed to create momentum.
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