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Tees Valley's brightest tech startups presented their latest innovations at an exclusive Demo Day yesterday. Hosted at Boho X by Tees Valley Labs in partnership with Alt Labs and the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the event marked a significant milestone in the journey of innovative founders whose projects have collectively secured over £4m in funding this year.
Over the past 12 months, Tees Valley Labs has been working with 33 early-stage and scaling businesses through The Stable (incubator programme) and The Forge (accelerator programme).
Dan Watson, Head of Ecosystems and Operations at Alt Labs said “Tees Valley has a fantastic pool of highly talented and skilled entrepreneurs. It’s great to see so many of this year’s cohort today and witness not only their successful projects but how they are working with industry to take a design concept to market.”
Some highlights on the day were Oz Harbottle, a military veteran, who has developed a ground-breaking design for body armour and protective wear applications. His innovation has already led to introductions to private and academic institutions for potential future investment.
Also, we heard from Victoria Burnip via video, founder of Cognitive HealthTech, who is developing an app for individuals with autism and ADHD which is already making waves in the tech sector. The app streamlines daily organisation and reduces cognitive overload, offering invaluable support to neurodiverse individuals. Victoria has secured a place on the Catalyst AI in Health Accelerator Programme, ran by Pioneer Group and Innovate UK, to further develop the market traction of the app in the HealthTech sector.
With keynote speeches from Angela Hart, from Tees Valley Combined Authority, and Bill Scott OBE, DL, of Wilton Engineering, Demo Day not only celebrated the achievements of these founders but also connected them with potential investors and key stakeholders who can help propel their ventures forward.
Imran Anwar, CEO at Alt Labs said, “The impact of the program is already evident, with many start-ups securing contracts, generating new jobs, and driving innovation in diverse sectors. Tees Valley Labs is proud to report above-average participation of female and minority ethnic founder , reinforcing its commitment to diversity in entrepreneurship.”
Tees Valley Labs is delivered on behalf of the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) and funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is a business growth programme delivered by a team with over 70 years of successful commercial experience, alongside partners of seasoned experts, to guide ambitious entrepreneurs towards success.
