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Sussex Innovation has announced the six finalists in its Accelerate50 competition to identify the most game-changing scale-up in the local business community. The winning company will receive an acceleration package worth £50,000 – including a free office for a whole year.
The finalists will now take part in a final round of interviews held at Sussex Innovation Centre on Wednesday 4th June, before the ultimate winning company is announced the following week.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the fantastic response to Accelerate50 from the local business community,” said Nigel Lambe, Chief Executive of Sussex Innovation. “The strength of the entries demonstrates the thriving knowledge economy in Sussex, and the huge number of small businesses looking for that extra leg-up that will enable them to scale.
“We shortlisted the final 6 from nearly 30 applicants, almost all of whom would have been deserving of our support. Ultimately, the finalists were those that we felt had both the ambition and strongest potential to have a significant impact with a helping hand from us.”
One of the six finalists has asked to remain anonymous ahead of the final announcement. The remaining five are:
- Action Your Potential – a consultancy working with schools to help children and parents understand how the brain works, and improve their mental health, wellbeing and achievement.
- Bodyrocket – a technology company building measurement tools for performance cyclists to get accurate aerodynamic feedback in real time.
- Mindful Extracts – a wellbeing range including CBD oils, organic supplements and natural bodycare products that are high-quality, ethical and sustainable.
- Prsnt – an instant gifting app to send and receive personalised gifts from high street brands with friends and loved ones.
- Unusual Technologies – a creative development agency designing and building immersive software experiences for sectors ranging from academia to arts and healthcare.
Accelerate50 is explicitly aimed at businesses with scale-up potential, an area of focus for both Sussex Innovation and the UK government’s economic strategy. In last year’s annual report, the Scale-Up Institute highlighted 5 key challenges that hold back British businesses bridging the gap from start-up to scale-up. By offering this prize, Sussex Innovation seeks to address the ‘Infrastructure Gap’ that limits access to the space and R&D facilities that afford businesses the opportunity to expand.
The winning company will receive a high impact 12-month acceleration prize, which includes:
- A private office for up to 30 staff for one year, including all utility bills, high speed internet connection, free parking and an on-site concierge team.
- Monthly CEO coaching and networking to share challenges and insights with other scale-up directors and founders.
- A package of member benefits including discounts and special offers with local retail, hospitality and professional service partners.
- Strategic meetings with a senior member of the Sussex Innovation consultancy team to identify growth opportunities and build connections with potential customers, suppliers and partners.
- Consultancy and practical support to help deliver growth projects including market research, marketing and financial planning.