Are You The Next Big Thing?
We have exciting news! Collider12 and The Bakery are partnering with ad:tech London to find 'The Next Big Thing'. This startup competition has been organised in partnership with ad:tech London, the interactive advertising and technology conference taking place on 11 & 12 September 2013.
The Next Big Thing is a nationwide competition to identify the startups that are creating the best technology to disrupt the world’s mass communications market. Known in their industry as “B2Brand” startups, the companies scrutinised in this competition will be developing products and services that help brands better engage with their consumers by meeting the challenges of consumer engagement, analytics, big data and data management or search.
B2Brand technology is a fast-growing industry segment in the UK. According to CB Insights, business-to-business companies account for 80% of the tech startups most likely to go public in the future.
To enter, startups must have been trading for less than two years and will need to submit applications to F6S before Friday 6th September 2013. For more details, click here.
Shortlisted startups will be invited to present their businesses at ad:tech London in September in front of an experienced panel of digital marketing investors and cutting-edge brands.
The competition champion will win the opportunity to pitch their technology to a Unilever brand and hopefully pilot their technology with Unilever. They will also be fast-tracked to the final round of the selection process for The Bakery and Collider12’s next incubation programmes. In addition, the winner and two runners-up will be invited to a number of networking events and meetings with Collider12 and The Bakery investment and brand partners, enabling them to extend significantly their professional networks and gain access to potentially influential business contacts.
The judging panel at ad:tech London will include:
- Max Benitz, Principal, Ingenious Ventures
- Conrad Poulson, Head of Startup Business, Orange France Telecom
- Matt Pritchard, European Digital Planning Director, Kellogg’s
- Anu Shah, Director of Ventures, BBH Global
- Chris Sponiar, Principal, Unilever Ventures
About Collider12
Collider12 brings together forward-thinking investors, cutting-edge brands and ambitious entrepreneurs working on new technologies that disrupt mass communications markets. In doing so, we develop a strong ecosystem in which ‘B2Brand’ startup companies can flourish and accelerate their growth.
What the startups have in common is that they target their products at businesses. For example, the startups might be focused on improving a brand’s external communications; increasing consumer-engagement; or delivering customer analytics.
About The Bakery
The Bakery is the place where the brand world and tech world meet. We exist to get the most disruptive technology to market quicker. We run a bi-annual accelerator program where we match the knottiest brand problems with the most disruptive technologies and get them to market in 8 weeks.
About ad:tech London
ad:tech is an interactive advertising and technology conference and exhibition – a marketplace for buying and selling, a community for networking, a forum for exchanging ideas and an opportunity for contributing to industry trends and initiatives.
Ten annual events around the world focus on top-notch education through keynote speakers, topic-driven panels and workshops as well as showcase the latest products and services to help implement new knowledge and ideas. Attendees leave ad:tech with the tools and techniques they need to compete in an ever-changing world.
About Ingenious
Ingenious is a market-leading financial services group providing investment and advisory expertise operating through four divisions. Ingenious is one of the leading investors in the UK’s creative industries and was founded by its Chief Executive, Patrick McKenna in 1998.
Ingenious Ventures is the private equity division of Ingenious. Ingenious Investments offers a range of alternative investments spanning media and entertainment, sport and leisure and clean energy. Ingenious Asset Management Limited provides discretionary investment management and innovative solutions to the private investor. Ingenious Corporate Finance provides comprehensive advice on strategy across a wide range of transactions focusing particularly on the media, entertainment and communications sectors.
Collider Startups Make Mashable's Top 25 List
There are many 'Best Startups' lists out there, but most of them focus on the London scene, or that in Silicon Valley. However, this most recent one from Mashable includes startups from all over the UK, highlighting just how strong the startup ecosystem is.
We are chuffed to say it also includes two startups from Collider12; Seeker and Locomizer. To see what Mashable has to say about them and the other 23 startups included, click here.
Avocarrot's Acceleration to Silicon Valley
Avocarrot, a platform which provides real rewards on mobile apps, has been picked out as one of the best startups in the world by accelerator BlackBox in Silicon Valley, who are partnered with Google Entrepreneurs. The team of four join seven other global startups who will all live in the BlackBox Mansion for the entire process, which runs from 15-26th July. The unique programme boasts a range of beneficial activities, networking events, and guest lectures, all aimed at helping the startups grow in an American environment.
“We're excited to have the chance to spend 2 weeks with the like-minded young entrepreneurs from all over the world,” says Conno Christou, one of Avocarrot’s co-founders. “It's also a great opportunity to tap into a large network of prestigious VCs and see how things are different in the US compared to the UK ecosystem.”
As BlackBox is focused on truly immersing the startups into the heart of this startup mecca, Conno realises the potential this trip could have for himself and his team. “We want to meet as many people as possible,” he explains, “to share ideas and get new insights in our sector. Making friends is in our nature, and all the other startups seem to be innovative companies. I’ll admit, the swimming pool in the villa was also an extra bonus!”
They applied only a month ago, and had to complete various forms, videos, and interviews via Google Hangout. But now they are through, Conno says that the four friends who all met at Imperial College are feeling "excited, honoured, and lucky." It's not all luck though, as the guys have been working tirelessly since 2012 to bring their technology to life, and been getting interest from investors and brands throughout the Collider12 process.
Stay tuned to the blog to see what they get up to later in July.
Video: How to Raise Fundraising for Startups
You can now watch the live footage of Rose Lewis's presentation from Digital Shoreditch, which contains all sorts of handy information about how startups can successfully raise finance. You can watch Rose here, as well as watch many other talks from the eventful week.