Here’s your weekly round up of news about startup competitions, awards, co-working spaces, accelerators and any other exciting things happening in the UK tech sector.
The UK’s ‘hottest’ startups
Wired has released its ‘Europe’s 100 hottest startups’ magazine supplement, with a number of London-based tech startups making the list.
Running annually since 2011, the list is a collection of startups considered ‘hot’ by European investors.
This year, 10 UK startups made it onto the list, including: Property Partner, Student.com, Magic Pony and Deliveroo.
See the full list here.
23 tech startups accompany Mayor of London to the US
Some of London’s fastest growing tech startups will join the Mayor of London in the United States as part of an international trade mission organised by the Mayor’s International Business Programme and London & Partners.
Looking to strengthen ties between London and the US and show that London is still open for business following the Brexit vote, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan commented: “London is one of the most vibrant and diverse places in the world to start and grow a technology business. These high growth companies have the potential to become the next global tech giants and I am delighted that they will join me in showing the world that London is open to talent, business and collaborations.”
The 23 high-performing companies will travel to Chicago and New York. The seven-day trade mission will allow the firms to connect with senior-level tech executives, pitch to international investors and meet with potential clients as they look to secure extra investment and explore opportunities to expand and export to the US market.
Sarah Wood, CEO and co-founder of Unruly and Mayor’s International Business Programme mentor, said: “I have seen first-hand the fantastic opportunities for London tech companies looking to grow their business in the US market. Like London, cities such as New York and Chicago have thriving technology hubs with all the right conditions for a high-growth technology business. It is important that we continue to support our domestic tech stars on the next stage of their growth journey and I am looking forward to helping the companies on the Mayor’s International Business Programme achieve their promise abroad.”
The Mayor’s International Business Programme is a £5m initiative partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund. It aims to support high-growth companies in the life sciences, technology and urban sectors to increase export success across a range of key markets in Europe, Asia and North America.
The three-year programme will target 800 companies, and is led by London & Partners in partnership with KPMG, PA Consulting, BDO, Benoy and London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
EDF Pulse Awards
EDF Energy has launched the EDF Pulse Awards, calling for startups, innovators and entrepreneurs to get on board with energy innovation.
The competition is to crowd source innovative solutions to key challenges facing the energy industry. Participating startups, innovators and entrepreneurs are being offered the chance to get expert support and advice whilst attracting investment.
The EDF Energy Pulse Awards is on the lookout for ways to address challenges in the following four categories:
- Connected home and business challenge
- Inspiring young people into Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
- Data solutions for improving health and safety
- Monitoring and inspection solutions for energy generation assets
Xavier Mamo, director of research and development at EDF Energy, said: “The EDF Energy Pulse Awards will help us to collaborate with an even wider range of experts and get a fresh perspective on how to tackle a number of challenges facing our industry today.
“The innovative solutions chosen as part of this challenge will be developed alongside the existing work of our R&D teams and innovation accelerator Blue Lab, putting innovation firmly at the heart of our business.”
TechHub Tuesday
The TechHub Demo Night will take place on Tuesday 6th September.
Rather than pitching for funds, the night provides startups with the opportunity to show the community what they are working on, get feedback and see what others are working on.
Although applications have closed to showcase your own product next week, free tickets to see the startups involved this month can be booked here.
TrueStart accelerator
Retail and consumer accelerator and investment fund TrueStart has announced the opening of its fourth accelerator programme – the Winter Collection 2016.
The TrueStart Winter Collection is a four-month programme running from 2nd December. As part of the programme, TrueStart will offer either £25,000 for 4.5% equity, £50,000 for 9% or a zero cash deal for 3%, whereby companies receive mentorship and access to TrueStart’s retail network.
Previous investments by TrueStart include City Pantry, which recently closed a £1.1m funding round. BeeLine and Hullabalook, from the most recent Collection, have, respectively, secured over £500,000 in funding and will be announcing contracts with a number of leading online retailers.
Applications for the Winter Collection open on 1st September and close at midnight on 16th October. To apply visit the TrueStart website.
That’s all for this week … see you next Friday!