Canopy Demo Night at Bath Spa: Community, Connection, and a Powerful Win for Daddin’

 There’s something special about bringing a startup founder community into a university setting. Yesterday’s Canopy Demo Night at Bath Spa University did exactly that—blending curiosity, energy, and real-world startup validation into one powerful evening. Hosted on campus on 28 April 2026, the event welcomed founders, investors, and students into a shared space to learn, connect, and explore what it really takes to build something people want.

At Canopy, we believe in creating founder friendly environments where ideas are tested openly. The format stayed true to this: 5 minutes to demo, 5 minutes of Q&A. Simple. Focused. Effective.
Because the goal is always the same—supporting founders in avoiding the number one cause of failure: building something nobody needs.

Celebrating the People’s Choice Winner: Duncan at Daddin’

The standout moment of the night was the People’s Choice Award—and a huge congratulations goes to Duncan and Daddin’.

Daddin’ is a deeply human idea. A “hangout for dads and kids,” but more importantly, a platform for connection, community, and positive masculinity.
Duncan’s pitch struck a chord because it tackled something real: loneliness and isolation among men, especially fathers. In his framing, Daddin’ isn’t just a product—it’s a response to a societal need.

His “why this” was clear. A space to showcase positive role models. A place where dads can build friendships and feel less alone.
His “why now” was even sharper. In a fast-changing world shaped by digital attention and shifting work patterns, we need more in-person connection, not less.

The audience responded. Strong engagement scores and, ultimately, first place in the vote confirmed it—Daddin’ resonated.

This is validation in action. Early signal. Early customers. Early belief.

The Startups on Stage

Demo Night is about diversity of thinking. Different problems. Different customers. Different approaches to MVP and validation.

Here are the founders who stepped up and shared their ideas:

• Duncan – Daddin’
  Building community spaces for dads and kids to connect, reducing isolation and strengthening relationships.

• Ridi – Beyond Barriers
  Creating more inclusive shopping and discovery experiences, addressing accessibility challenges for millions.

• Laura – Obwob
  A developing concept exploring new ways of connecting users to curated products and experiences.

• Laurie – Pedal with Pride
  Inclusive cycling holidays designed for LGBTQ+ travellers, combining travel with identity and belonging.

Each founder brought something unique. Each demo added to the collective learning in the room. That’s the power of a global founder community—shared insight accelerates everyone.

Fireside Chat: Real Talk from Coral and Zillah

Alongside the demos, the evening featured a thoughtful and engaging fireside chat with Coral Manton and Zillah Watson, expertly hosted by Nigel Fryatt.

This wasn’t theory. It was lived experience.

The conversation explored the realities of building, investing, and navigating early-stage uncertainty. Honest reflections. Practical insight. And the kind of perspective that founders need when making real decisions about investment, customers, and growth.

A huge thank you to Coral, Zillah, and Nigel for creating space for that level of openness.

Thank You Bath Spa University

Bringing Demo Night to Bath Spa University felt important.

Universities are full of potential founders. Curious minds. People standing at the very start of their journey. Creating a bridge between education and real startup ecosystems is how we unlock that potential.

A sincere thank you to Bath Spa University and Tiff Frye for the opportunity to host the event on campus. The environment, the support, and the openness to collaboration made the evening what it was.

This is just the beginning. We’re excited about what comes next and look forward to building many more moments like this together.

Why This Matters for Founders

If you’re a founder reading this, here’s the takeaway:

• Validation happens in conversation

• Customers reveal themselves through dialogue

• MVPs get stronger when exposed early

Demo Night is not about perfection. It’s about progress.

It’s about stepping forward, sharing your idea, and learning fast.

Because in the Canopy Membership, supported by peer support, expert insight, and real-world feedback, founders don’t build alone.

They build together.

Join us at the next Demo Night:
https://lu.ma/Canopy