INSIGHTS / News

What: SETsquared’s Open Innovation Showcase 2017
Where: KPMG, 15 Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London, E14 5GL
When: 25 May from 1-5pm
Contact: [email protected]

SETsquared’s Open Innovation Showcase is your chance to meet 18 of the UK’s most exciting high-tech, high growth potential start-ups – as they showcase and pitch to big name corporates and investors including EDF Energy, Rolls-Royce and Samsung for the chance to have their product adopted by the business giants or raise investment.

The event, the Open Innovation Showcase, is organised by SETsquared, the global number one university business incubation programme run by a partnership of the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey.

The aim of the programme is to develop mutually beneficial partnerships or investment deals with the corporates finding new technologies and products while the start-ups get the chance to seal deals with business giants that they would never normally be able to access. With angel and venture capitalists also attending they have the chance to raise investment too.

As well as exhibiting, the start-ups will also have the chance to pitch for five minutes each, to over 200 registered delegates, to explain how their technology will impact the market and change people’s lives. All are looking for investment, corporate partners and connections to accelerate the growth of their business.

The results also provide a boost for the economy as big corporates get value straight out of university research bases and the tech community allowing them to bring products and technologies to market faster.

Among the businesses showcasing are:

• RazorSecure – which offers an advanced cyber-security solution designed to monitor, detect, report and protect critical infrastructure systems from hackers
• Trackener – which has developed a 24/7 monitoring technology to improve the health and welfare of horses
• ScreenLimit – which has developed an app that allows parents to remotely manage their childrens’ screentime on devices including smartphones, tablets and web browsers
• Verv – which is a self-install advanced home energy monitor that turns all appliances into smart appliances, but applying artificial intelligence to electricity data
• Vaccines without refrigeration – which has created a method for preserving vaccines to avoid high amounts of medicine wastage

Simon Bond, Innovation Director at SETsquared, said: “The Open Innovation Showcase has always been a vital event for both corporates, investors and start-ups, and this year is no different. We’re proud to bring the cream of the crop of innovators from across the south to the showcase for 2017 and I have no doubts that the corporates attending will find technologies worth adopting into their business or solid investment opportunities.”

The Open Innovation Showcase is being supported by KPMG for 2017 and will be held at the firm’s Canary Wharf London headquarters.

Over the last 15 years SETsquared has helped more than 1,000 businesses raise over £1bn in investment, as well as contributing over £3.8bn in GVA (Gross Value Added) to the UK economy with £8.6bn GVA estimated over the next decade – figures that have contributed to it being named by UBI Gobal as the top university business incubator in the world.