Thousands of wash packages delivered by luxury brand
Social enterprise The GoodWash Company has quickly become renowned for its quality soaps and skincare. The Barry-based firm – a ubiquitous brand in luxury hotels around the world – has been at the forefront in the national response to coronavirus. It has donated thousands of emergency wash packages, containing shampoo and soap bars, directly to frontline healthcare workers.
Software firm’s bright future thanks to a financial boost
Weekly10, a Wrexham-based human resources software company, has secured investment to fund an ambitious growth plan. The firm, which delivers innovative software to encourage companies and their employees to form a positive and open dialogue, won £100,000 in funding from Worth Capital – the same investor it received £150,000 from in April 2019, when Weekly10 topped the UK’s largest seed funding competition. The finance will support Weekly10’s plans for expansion.
Online booking company aids local authorities with software solution
Cardiff-headquartered Zipporah provides online booking and appointment software. It has made a free version of its software available to all local authorities to ease pressure on call centres and improve council service provision. The solution means people can make online appointment bookings for a range of council services, and it has won praise from the Welsh Government.
Scott Burton, Zipporah’s technical director, said: “Our appointment solution has already been incredibly effective especially in facilitating the organised re-opening of recycling centres – not only in Wales but also across England and Scotland.”
Manufacturer answers PPE call from Welsh Government
It usually makes pressure and temperature gauges for industrial use, but Rototherm – based at Kenfig Industrial Estate near Margam – has turned its expertise to vital life-saving equipment for frontline NHS workers. In a matter of weeks, the firm - which has been receiving Business Wales AGP support since 2015 - designed medical visors, which won BSI approval, for use in the NHS. It also geared its facility towards the production of the face shields. The company began making visors early in April when it was already able to produce tens of thousands of units in a week and recruited 36 extra staff to support the production of the vital kit.
Company pivots to help support local frontline staff
Gower Gas & Oil Heating Services has been delivering essential items for frontline staff in the Swansea Bay University Trust. The Business Wales AGP company appointed a dedicated staff member to coordinate the project to provide scrubs and other items for frontline staff in the area. Gower Gas & Oil Heating Services has been vital in helping with the logistics and delivery of the items and in helping coordinate a strong, community voluntary group overseeing the action.
Agri-tech start-up wins huge equity finance investment
Its technology helps farmers grow crops in controlled environments, now Phytoponics has been rewarded for its innovation and research after raising £500,000 equity finance to support commercial trials. The Aberystwyth company’s deep water culture hydroponic systems were developed by Adam Dixon and Luke Parkin, who established the business in 2016 when they were students at Cardiff University. The technology aims to make agriculture more sustainable, increasing yields and lowering water consumption as well as pesticides. Phytoponics’ financial boost came from existing shareholders and match-funding from the Development Bank of Wales.
Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme