News / University of Bristol
Women’s concussion toolkit startup secures funding at Dragons’ Den-style event
The friendly ambience at The Runway Awards might be a far cry from the steely gaze and probing inquiries of the hit BBC show Dragons’ Den, but the annual pitching competition at the University of Bristol had 12 ambitious startups strive for a slice of £100,000 to bolster their innovative business ideas.
The fledgling business leaders vied to impress the keen-eyed judges and a pack full of audience members at Richmond Building in Clifton on May 7.
Among the winners were startups making seaweed farms more efficient, slashing the cost of electrochemical production using 3D printing and treating sewage using light.
£75,000 was up for grabs to any University of Bristol student startup and £25,000 was available to any startup involved in quantum research. The funding was provided by University of Bristol alumni and supporters.
Aspiring entrepreneurs vied to impress the judges for a slice of £100,000
One of the most notable winners of the day was Concussion Toolkit Consultancy who has plans of delivering services to sports clubs to help women recover from sports-related concussions.
The all-female team told the judges that 80 per cent of concussion research is focussed on men, while concussion symptoms can be confused with period symptoms.
Concussion Toolkit Consultancy won £8,000, which they will use to begin bringing the latest concussion research to university sports groups, before opening it out to grassroots clubs.
A spokesperson for Concussion Toolkit Consultancy, said: “It’s a privilege to have received this funding, especially since less than three per cent of VC (venture capitalist) funding goes to women. To have so many people share their own concussion or recovery stories after our pitch was special.
“We think providing inclusive recovery protocol which centres the individual is a mission that really resonates with people.”
Another startup which grabbed the attention of the judges was Lost Track of Time who won £3,000 of the prize pot. They are a business that organise inclusive and engaging events, filling empty venues. The group boasts of an extensive list of collaborators on their books, including Motion, Thekla and Four Quarters.
Other notable winners included Rubisko, a data-driven platform for seaweed farming market and PhotoClear, a sewage treatment business using light, who won £20,000 and £3,000 respectively.
Under the quantum-focussed competition category, Light Trace Photonics won £20,000. The University of Bristol-based startup specialises in photonic hardware and simulations (for example for telecoms innovation).
An additional £10,000 was awarded to various runners up. The Innovation Showcase included an exhibition of work from students studying at the university’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The judging panel featured Bristol alumni Simon Pillar and Elizabeth de Vise and the impact investor Simon Gotch.
Speaking to the audience, Simon Pillar, engineering graduate and founder of Pacific Equity Partners, said: “It was a really, really hard job picking between your fantastic presentations. There was a lot of diversity of business ideas, which makes it even harder to compare them.
“A huge thanks to everyone for their hard work. It’s been a privilege to be part of this journey.”
The Runway Awards is set to return in 2025.
All photos: University of Bristol
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