After a round of pitching, three winners were announced by the Duke of York after being selected by the judges including Pitch @Palace Alumni, and after considering the audience votes. Pitch @Palace was founded by the Duke of York in 2014 as a platform to amplify and accelerate the work of entrepreneurs across the UK. The programme connects entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses with potential supporters, including CEOs, influencers, investors, mentors and business partners.
Of the forty-two tech-focused entrepreneurs that applied, seventeen were selected to present and three winners were chosen, including two clients of the Accelerated Growth Programme: NearMeNow and Four Minutes.
Winner 1 – Four Minutes is an emergency first aid training company based in Welsh ICE in Caerphilly that uses mixed reality technology to empower people worldwide to step up in an emergency, starting with school children.
Winner 2 – NearMeNow, also based at ICE in Caerphilly, is an app designed to revitalise the high street, allowing independent businesses to collaborate, advertise, communicate and interact with their customers.
Winner 3 – Psycapps is a London-based evidence-based digital mental health company that develops games to build resilience and boost mental wellbeing.
Speaking at the event, The Duke of York, said, “The purpose of Pitch @Palace is to help entrepreneurs grow and learn under pressure and move their business along. For Pitch, it’s important to travel the country to figure out where and what the entrepreneurial attitudes are. But we’re also looking for mentors, advisors and connections for these businesses; it’s the connections that have made the biggest difference for our entrepreneurs.”
Carl Turner, community manager at the Wrexham Enterprise Hub, said: “The event was a huge success with some extraordinary entrepreneurs pitching some exciting businesses. Hosting Pitch @Palace 10.0 was a real boon for the Hub, and the types of businesses that pitched were an inspiration to start-ups in the area.”
The winners will now join 39 other entrepreneurs at Pitch @Palace Boot Camp in Cambridge in October where they will hear from leading industry experts and Pitch @Palace Alumni, as well as receiving support and mentoring before going on to Pitch @ Palace final in London 7th November.
Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme.