INSIGHTS / News

LettUsGrow pitching during the Pitch@Palace preliminary round

 

Six SETsquared entrepreneurs will soon have the chance to make their business dreams come true after winning a place in the final round of the prestigious Pitch@Palace competition.

Founded by the Duke of York in 2014, Pitch@Palace helps entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses connect with potential supporters, including CEOs, influencers, investors, mentors and business partners.

The annual competition sees entrepreneurs from across the UK pitch at regional ‘Pitch@Palace On Tour’ events, with 42 winners going on to Pitch@Palace Boot Camp. From here, 12 winning entrepreneurs are selected by a panel of judges to deliver a three-minute pitch to an influential audience at St James’s Palace on 12 June 2019. The remaining 30 companies each get a 30-second slot to pitch.

The overall winner is decided by the audience who can vote using the Pitch@Palace app.

The six SETsquared entrepreneurs are:

LettUs Grow

Provides an integrated offering of hardware, software and high-value research capabilities to the indoor farming industry

Biosystems Ltd

Provides low-cost, high-throughput, ethical screening solutions for scientists working in the life sciences and healthcare sectors

Buildsolar

Aims to create sustainably-built environments by developing multi-functional materials that turn buildings into clean energy generators.

OTA Water

Designs and installs smart water management systems that can optimise for flood alleviation and rainwater re-use.

Kelda Technology

Has created the world’s most efficient water saving shower, designed and manufactured in the UK.

TISICS

Is pioneering ultra-strong titanium composites to deliver 70% lighter components for greener and cheaper plans, spacecraft and electric vehicles.

 

Vote for your favourite company in the People’s Choice Award

Pitch@Palace also includes a People’s Choice Award, which is an opportunity to showcase the entrepreneurs to a broader audience and for the public to learn more and vote for their favourite. The winners of the People’s Choice award will also be announced at St James’s Palace on 12 June. To vote for your favourite, click the link below:

Vote now

 

The SETsquared Partnership is an award-winning and world-leading business incubator and start-up accelerator network which has supported more than 3,500 technology-based organisations through their lifecycle. As well as running seven of its own support programmes for members, SETsquared helps businesses identify other opportunities to access high-level support.

Karen Brooks, programme director at SETsquared Partnership and Pitch@Palace mentor, said: “Pitch@Palace is a fantastic opportunity for entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses to raise their profile amongst a group of very high-level individuals. The prestigious three-stage event opens doors to influential people they might not have access to on a day-to-day basis, so we actively encourage SETsquared businesses to take part. We now have a host of Pitch@Palace alumni who’ve have all made significant traction and raised investment since their appearance at the palace”.

Karen is one of many SETsquared representatives who have acted as mentors for Pitch@Palace

since its inception. She is currently mentoring Surrey based, Carbon Cycle, which is commercialising a process for purifying minerals such as gypsum and chalk that have significant industrial applications.

Winners of the Pitch@Palace competition will go on to compete in the global competition in December.