Manchester Venturefest shortlists SMEs for £30k support package

The Venturefest Manchester 2016 Innovation Showcase, a competition run by enterprise support organisation Business Growth Hub, has revealed the firms shortlisted for its £30k support package prize.

The event, which will bring together entrepreneurs, innovators and investors at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall later this year, has narrowed its entrants down to just 23 North West SMEs.

The competitors will now pitch their services and products to a panel comprising digital and technology investment expert Peter Wall, angels’ syndicate chairman Neil Wolstenholme and B2B startup specialist Alan Hodari.

The panel will look at each business and whittle the list down to 10 ahead of the final, to be held on September 21, where the Venturefest audience will vote for their favourite.

The shortlisted businesses are as follows:

• Click Your GP
• GCOFN
• Extreme Low Energy
• Rescutec
• LIG Biowise
• Limon Attire
• GatorDuct
• Pearlman Technologies
• HairClone
• Mymanu
• Cube121
• EveryWalk
• Swifty Scooters
• Langford Direct
• Nothing but Epic
• GJD Manufacturing
• Actiphons
• MPMsim
• Hydro Water Management Solutions
• Social Circle
• Bri-Tek Technologies
• C-Major
• VST Enterprises

Now in its third year, the Showcase is delivered in partnership with the government’s innovation agency Innovate UK and collaboration group Knowledge Transfer Network.

More than 700 people attended the event in 2015 when Tom New and Al Mackin, the entrepreneurs behind Salford-based online shopping firm Formisimo, bagged the prize.

Formisimo used the package to fund and launch Nudgr, software that tells its user whether or not a customer is likely to complete an online purchase.

This year, the day’s pitches will be interspersed with speeches from a number of North West leaders, including Manchester City Council chief exec Sir Howard Bernstein, Siemens CEO Juergen Maier and Manchester University president and vice chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell.

Business Growth Hub director Richard Jeffery said: “The quality of the applications for the Innovation Showcase has made the task of compiling this shortlist very difficult.

“We have seen an abundance of talent and entrepreneurial ingenuity on display and that is encouraging for the North West as a whole.”

Richard continued: “With that and the speakers we have in attendance, this year’s event promises to be a highly engaging and inspirational experience. I wish all of the businesses the best of luck and look forward to seeing their innovative ideas come to life at the event in September.”

Formisimo’s Tom New commented: “The Innovation Showcase is an excellent opportunity for businesses to shine on a big stage in front of some of the North West’s most influential people.

“We were thoroughly delighted to be involved in last year’s event and the experience has given our business a massive lift.”

He added: “I can’t wait to meet this year’s finalists and hear about the latest innovations happening on our doorstep.”

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