From Personal Diagnosis to Founding Neuropool

Jack’s journey to founding Neuropool began with his own experience. Having been diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, he was able to access the support he needed early in life. Years later, when mentoring autistic individuals into employment, Jack discovered that diagnosis is a privilege many people don’t have access to.

He quickly realised that many people he was supporting needed tailored and structured assistance to navigate the job search process and secure meaningful employment. But for many, this support wasn’t available—and it was just the tip of the iceberg of a much larger systemic issue.

“As I went through the process of mentoring neurodiverse candidates, I realised that it’s not just about them needing support or guidance, but actually, it’s about all the stakeholders involved in the neurodiversity ecosystem, which includes employers, schools, universities, and even the government,” explains Neuropool CEO, Jack Dyrhauge.

Connecting Neurodivergent Talent to Leading Roles

With this understanding, Neuropool began working with universities, employers, and government bodies to connect neurodivergent talent to leading roles through comprehensive mentoring and coaching programmes.

“Our ethos at Neuropool is to say, ‘Yeah, go on. We’ll spend the next six months mentoring you and coaching you for free to get that job.’ And when they do get that job, then we know that we’ve worked with them to get there and they’ve gained the skills needed,” says Jack Dyrhauge.

Real Impact: Mike’s Success Story

Neuropool’s approach has delivered tangible results for neurodiverse individuals like Mike J. Mike first signed up with Neuropool in 2020, whilst studying Robotics Engineering at the University of Bath. He was mentored by Jack through weekly calls to gain employability skills, was offered his first role at Small Robot Company in November, and then secured his internship at Universal Music Group in summer 2022. He now works as a Mentor and Ambassador at Neuropool.

Mike, 24, from Bath, explains: “Amidst a global pandemic and a difficult time for everybody, Jack provided me with the strength, courage and determination to pull through and secure a job during my gap year at University. His personal mentoring and experiences, alongside others at Neuropool, armed me with the skills and knowledge as a struggling Autistic individual to find my first dream placement as a Robot Operator at Small Robot company.”

He continues: “This programme allowed me to feel less anxious about my job hunt and dealing with failure and rejection whilst going through interviews. I have never seen a programme like this that is run by neurodiverse people—it allowed me to feel that I wasn’t alone.”

Why Growth Impact Fund Invested in Neuropool

At Growth Impact Fund, our investment in Neuropool represents more than financial backing—it’s validation of our core thesis. Jack Dyrhauge embodies exactly the kind of underrepresented founder we’re committed to supporting. As an autistic entrepreneur with ADHD, he brings lived experience to solving systemic challenges in neurodiversity employment.

Key factors in our investment decision:

Founder authenticity: Jack’s personal experience with neurodiversity provides authentic insight into the challenges and solutions needed in this space

Systemic approach: Neuropool doesn’t just support individuals—it works to change the entire ecosystem including employers, educational institutions, and government bodies

Proven model: The organisation has demonstrated real outcomes, with success stories like Mike’s showing the effectiveness of their approach

Scalable impact: The mission to support 10,000 neurodivergent people into work by 2030 represents the kind of ambitious, measurable impact we seek

Market need: With significant underemployment among neurodivergent individuals, Neuropool addresses a clear market failure with substantial social and economic implications

The Broader Neurodiversity Employment Challenge

Neuropool tackles a critical issue in the UK employment landscape. Despite representing approximately 15-20% of the population, neurodivergent individuals face significant barriers to employment, with autism employment rates particularly concerning. This represents not just individual hardship, but a massive waste of talent and economic potential.

Traditional recruitment and workplace practices often inadvertently exclude neurodivergent candidates through:

• Standard interview processes that don’t accommodate different communication styles
• Job descriptions requiring ‘excellent communication skills’ without defining what this means
• Workplace environments that don’t consider sensory needs
• Lack of understanding about neurodivergent strengths and capabilities

Growth Impact Fund’s Vision in Action

Our investment in Neuropool demonstrates our commitment to supporting founders who understand their communities’ needs from lived experience. This represents exactly the kind of targeted, community-led solution that creates both social and economic returns.

What makes this investment significant:

• Community leadership:

   Investment led by someone from the neurodivergent community

• Systems change:

   Addressing structural barriers, not just individual circumstances

• Economic impact:

   Creating pathways to employment that benefit individuals, employers, and the broader economy

• Scalable model:

   Proven approach that can expand across sectors and regions

Looking Forward: Building an Inclusive Economy

Over the coming months, Growth Impact Fund will announce additional investments, each reinforcing our commitment to creating equitable access for founders previously excluded from investment. Our process with Neuropool has taught us about the importance of ensuring our own processes remain accessible whilst continuing to learn and iterate to minimise barriers where we find them.

For neurodivergent entrepreneurs and job seekers: Our investment in Neuropool signals Growing Impact Fund’s commitment to backing solutions created by and for underrepresented communities. We recognise that lived experience provides unique insights into community needs and effective solutions.

For employers and partners: Working with organisations like Neuropool offers pathways to accessing untapped talent whilst building more inclusive workplace practices that benefit all employees.

For the social investment sector: Our first investment demonstrates that supporting underrepresented founders isn’t just about equity—it’s about accessing innovative solutions to persistent social challenges.

The Economic Case for Neurodiversity Inclusion

Investing in neurodiversity employment support like Neuropool makes strong economic sense. Research consistently shows that diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones, whilst neurodivergent individuals often bring particular strengths including:

• Attention to detail and pattern recognition
• Analytical and systematic thinking
• Creative problem-solving approaches
• Reliability and dedication when properly supported

The economic cost of neurodiversity unemployment represents significant lost productivity and increased support costs. Neuropool’s model creates economic returns through employment outcomes whilst building employer capacity for inclusive recruitment and retention.

Join the Movement

At Growth Impact Fund, we’re building a portfolio of investments that demonstrate the power of backing underrepresented founders tackling systematic inequalities. Neuropool represents the beginning of this journey, showing what’s possible when lived experience meets entrepreneurial vision and patient capital.

For founders seeking investment: If you’re building solutions from lived experience of inequality or underrepresentation, Growth Impact Fund is designed to support your vision. Visit our website to learn more about our application process and support offerings.

For potential partners: We’re actively seeking collaborators who share our commitment to building a more inclusive economy. Whether you’re an employer looking to improve neurodiversity inclusion, an educational institution, or another investor committed to equity, we welcome conversations about partnership opportunities.

The Growth Impact Fund is managed by Big Issue Invest Fund Management Ltd (BIIFM) and addresses professional investors only. Our mission is creating equitable access to finance for founders traditionally marginalised from social investment, building an economy that works for everyone.