12 “best and brightest” Welsh start-ups selected for country’s first tech accelerator

The 12 “best and brightest” Welsh start-ups have been selected as finalists for the country’s first tech accelerator.

The Digital Dozen accelerator programme, hosted by Innovation Point, aims to fast track Wales’s most ambitious scale-ups – and includes Startups 100-ranked University Cribs.

The programme, which will run over the next six months, offers selected start-ups the tools, skills and connections needed to grow and secure their next investment round – and includes one-to-one mentoring, pitch training and networking events and introductions.

A range of successful entrepreneurs will offer mentorship and help throughout the programme, including Anthony Rose’s Seedlegals, Jag Singh, Nauta Capital, White Horse Capital, Lexington, Webstart Bristol, David-Murray-Hundley, aka The Grumpy Entrepreneur, and Innovation Point’s CEO David Warrender.

The 12 finalists, who span a range of tech sectors including fintech, proptech and IT, are:

• Open Genius
• Properr
• Disberse
• DashHound
• Prism Technology
• Simply Do Ideas
• Talkative
• Geolang
• Do-IT Solutions
• University Cribs
• Zone Art Networks
• Codeherent

Launched in October 2016 by Jack Jenkins, Daniel Jefferys, and Christian Samuel, University Cribs is an online property search engine for students which lists rooms from both well-known lettings agents and halls providers from all the UK’s major university towns and cities.

Yet to celebrate its first birthday, the start-up has already attracted over 150,000 fans across all of its social media channels and has over 120 clients advertising properties ranging from studio apartments to 12-bed room penthouses.

Colin Batten, head of partnerships & Digital Dozen Accelerator at Innovation Point, said:

“We’ve worked with successful accelerators across the UK, Europe and the US to gauge what does – and doesn’t – work, whilst speaking to companies throughout Wales about the support and connections they feel would best empower them to take their business to the next level.”

David Warrender, CEO of Innovation Point, said:

“Previous iterations of the Digital Dozen have brought tremendous success to the participants. With the added support, expertise and guiding hands from proven entrepreneurs this year looks to be the biggest yet. We can’t wait to see where the programme takes these leading innovative companies.”

Interested in starting a business in Wales? Click here for our guide on how to start a business in Cardiff and Swansea.