A GROUP of University of Edinburgh-supported entrepreneurs will pitch their companies at two live showcase events next month.
The two events will enable start-ups to pitch their companies to an audience of investors, grant funding bodies and fellow entrepreneurs.
The AI Accelerator Showcase and Venture Builder Incubator Demo Day take place in Edinburgh on 17th and 25th March, respectively marking two of the first major face to face eco-system events to be held since the beginning of the pandemic.
These events are part of the Data Driven Entrepreneurship programme and are delivered by the University’s innovation hub for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, the?Bayes Centre on behalf of the DDI hubs.
Edinburgh Innovations, University of Edinburgh’s commercialisation service, will also be delivering the events.
Both events will also offer a virtual facility for those wishing to attend online.
The events will allow participants to pitch their businesses to investors and grant funding bodies including Scottish Enterprise and Innovate UK.
Individuals from the wider Scottish entrepreneurial community will also be attending alongside representatives from commercially-focused organisations including Fintech Scotland and Barclays Eagle Labs.
The AI Accelerator Showcase features 12 disruptive and transformative AI-driven companies which were accepted into the six-month programme last September.
Throughout that period the companies have benefitted from links to investors, partners, and mentors as well as space to scale their business.
The participants have all received a £9,000 grant through the programme, and have had access to the programme’s partnership with London-based community Scale Space as well as strategic design support from Edinburgh Innovation’s partner NileHQ.
Those taking part in the AI Accelerator include Edinburgh cancer research and treatment business Carcinotech and Indigo.AI, a Milan-based conversational AI platform being supported by the University as it aims to set up a new premises in Scotland.
Glasgow-based GIGGED.AI, a platform which transforms the sourcing and on-boarding of tech talent in the gig economy, will also be taking part.
Katy Guthrie, Programme Leader of AI Accelerator said: “We’re delighted to provide this opportunity for our 12 AI Accelerator programme companies which operate across a broad range of industry sectors.
“Staging this face-to-face platform with investors, funding bodies, advisors and potential collaborative partners is a key aspect of our programme and one that is designed to help these businesses scale up to reach their full potential.”
Meanwhile, the Venture Builder Incubator will showcase 20 early-stage companies.
As part of the partnership with Cancer Research UK, eight of these ventures are looking at innovative forms of cancer research and treatment focusing on early diagnoses, therapeutics and drug discovery.
Venture Builder Incubator cohorts also include companies focused on addressing some of the world’s major challenges including the climate emergency, well-being, children’s mental health, and financial security.
The programme, which includes PhD students and post doctorates from University of Edinburgh or Heriot-Watt University, is designed to help fledgling entrepreneurs build their skills and take their businesses to the next level.
Each venture is provided with £2,000 and support through a series of workshops, networking events, mentoring, peer to peer learnings and access to the University of Edinburgh’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its data expertise.
Laura Bernal, Venture Builder Incubator Programme Manager, said: “This event is a brilliant platform for these early-stage ventures to present to an audience which can help them further develop their business idea.
“This event is designed to bring our cohort community together and enable them to share their ideas with key commercial contacts, create potential partnerships with like-minded individuals, and build valuable connections.”
