Programme graduate LanoTech secures £470k investment pipeline, demonstrating impact of intensive support.
Five innovative Welsh entrepreneurs have been recognised for their exceptional progress after completing the Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator, with the latest cohort demonstrating how focused support can transform ambitious ideas into investment-ready ventures.
The award winners, who completed the ten-week programme, showed remarkable momentum in moving from concept to customer. Each received recognition across five award categories, demonstrating the calibre and diversity of entrepreneurial talent emerging from Wales.
Award winners include:
Proposition Flex Award
For the individual with the most flexible approach in developing their business launch proposition.
Winner: Chris Hughes, Tecwila
Tecwila is a flavour-focused spirits brand founded in Anglesey. The business works with a Mexican distillery to produce consistent, small-batch spirits for the UK market. Tecwila is currently preparing for wider distribution following initial production and brand development completed during the Start-Up Accelerator programme.
Accelerator Award
For the individual who has made the most progress on their business during the programme.
Winner: Dr Emma Marie Williams, GlitterBrain Psychology
GlitterBrain provides psychology-based self-help and therapy resources to adults (including neurodivergent clients), helping them build practical mental-health and life-management skills that stick through small, accessible steps.
Sales Accelerator Award
For the individual who has shown the most ambition to build and accelerate their sales funnel.
Winner: Silvia Sanchez, Classer Ltd
Classer provides software for organising, storing and sharing action-camera videos for users of GoPros and other action cameras, helping users easily manage their footage and turn moments into memories they can relive and enjoy.
Accelerator Champion Award:
For the individual who has shown the most commitment and positive mindset during programme.
Winner: Sakshi Mahajan, Hashview
Hashview is a next generation trust engine for businesses ranging from local shops, service providers and small to medium brands. It combines SaaS-based analytics, AI-driven sentiment insights and geo-fencing technology to deliver authentic, real-time customer feedback.
Most Collaborative Participant Award
For the individual who has shown the most support to others during the programme.
Winner: Vignesh Pathmaraj, Elements Technik (Elements Supply AI)
Elements Technik (Elements Supply AI) provides AI-driven procurement, spare-parts intelligence and automated sourcing solutions to manufacturing and industrial clients, helping them manage parts, suppliers and procurement operations more efficiently through data-driven insights and automation technologies.
Dr Emma Marie Williams, Founder of GlitterBrain Psychology, said:
"Winning the Accelerator Award feels brilliant because it shows how far we've come. Ten weeks ago, I had passion and a vision but no clear strategy. The programme helped me test my assumptions and hone my business skills and now I have a clear growth plan."
The success comes as applications open for the next Start-Up Accelerator cohort, running from Tuesday 12 May to Friday 17 July 2026.
The Start-Up Accelerator has a proven track record of preparing founders for growth. One standout example is Aberystwyth-based LanoTech, which has built a £470,000 investment pipeline since graduating from the programme in July 2025. The company is pioneering the use of lanolin – the natural grease in sheep wool – as a sustainable alternative to soy and vegetable oil in animal feed.
After completing the Start-Up Accelerator, LanoTech secured £120,000 through the Welsh Government's Contracts for Innovation Cymru Programme to fund world-first live poultry feed trials. Building on capabilities strengthened through the programme, founder Clodagh Weingart successfully applied for Innovate UK funding, securing a further £350,000 for a project commencing in 2026. Lab tests have shown that lanolin has a higher gross energy content than conventional feed oils, positioning the company to transform how British wool creates value for farmers while reducing agriculture's carbon footprint.
Clodagh Weingart, founder of LanoTech, said:
"The foundation provided by the Start-Up Accelerator has been instrumental in positioning LanoTech for scale-up. The programme gave me the structure to develop a compelling investment case and the confidence to articulate our vision to funders. Moving from concept to securing nearly half a million pounds in funding within months of graduating demonstrates the practical impact of that intensive support.
"We're now conducting validated feed trials with a secured funding pipeline, advancing toward our goal of transforming the UK's approach to sustainable animal feed while creating new value streams for British wool producers."
Lucy Jones, Operations Manager of the Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator, said:
"Seeing founders like Clodagh and this cohort secure investment, land first customers, and refine their business models is exactly what the Start-Up Accelerator is designed to achieve. LanoTech's success demonstrates how the programme creates the conditions for businesses to thrive: structured methodology, expert guidance, and a peer network that challenges and supports in equal measure."
The Start-Up Accelerator is part of the Accelerated Growth Programme, a Business Wales service funded by Welsh Government. Over ten intensive weeks, the Start-Up Accelerator guides founders through validating demand, refining their offering, and securing their first crucial customers. Participants develop core business skills through webinars and masterclasses, benefit from one-to-one expert mentoring, and build networks with peers, investors, and sector specialists. The programme also integrates AI tools to enhance creativity and market research, helping founders reduce time-to-market and boost efficiency.
The programme works with Wales-based entrepreneurs with pre-revenue ideas capable of reaching £1 million annual turnover, creating at least ten full-time jobs, and exporting by 2029. Funding is available to remove barriers that might otherwise limit participation.
If your business is not ready for this level of growth, Business Wales offers a wide range of business start-up and business growth advice and guidance.
Applications for the May 2026 Start-Up Accelerator close on Monday 30 March 2026.
Interested founders can register their expression of interest at: Business Wales Start Up Accelerator | Business Wales