This year CW is introducing a theme, Connecting the Digital World, to provide particular exposure to those start-ups innovating in the field of connectivity. This broad subject encourages applications from businesses positioned across any layer of the technology stack, including silicon, middleware, operating systems, devices, software, wireless connectivity solutions and applications, and innovations that will enhance the deployment of advanced digital communication solutions across any industry.
Discovering Start-Ups is a real highlight in the CW calendar. It provides a trusted forum through which our members explore the cutting-edge of technological innovation and nurture those ideas which are worthy of support. The CW community is dedicated to the development of a thriving technology community in the UK, and cultivating the next generation of digital entrepreneurs through competitions such as Discovering Start-Ups is fundamental to that growth.
Robert Driver, CEO of CW
Although our initial success was made in the APAC region, the rich entrepreneurial environment and the ecosystem of top institutions, venture capitals and high-tech companies in the UK have always been inspirational for our business and technology development over the past years. Through this year’s competition, many connections with potential investors and clients have been established. We look forward to a greater success starting from here.
Tongyun Li, ZiFiSense & Discovering Start-Ups 2017 winner.
In a break away from the traditional event style of pitches to a sedentary audience, 2018 will introduce a more dynamic form of investor-entrepreneur networking. Discovering Start-Ups 2018 will feature an Exhibition with judges rotating between start-up pitching stations and the opportunity of 1:1 follow-ups later in the day. Finalists will be assessed based on:
- Originality and creativity of vision and solution
- Technical and operational viability of the concept
- Competitive positioning
- The team’s experience, knowledge, skills and enthusiasm
- Economic and financial viability (the business strategy)
Full information on the event is available on the CW website.
Full details on the competition are listed below. It is extremely simple for start-ups to enter, just complete the online form.
For those wishing to support the competition as a judge, attendee or supporter, contact events@cambridgewireless.co.uk.
Discovering Start-Ups Timeline
- Call for submission closes: Monday 6 August
- Finalists announced: Wednesday 15 August
- Finalist Acceleration Workshop: Monday 3 September
- Discovering Start-Ups Final: Monday 17 September
Discovering Start-Ups Prizes
Finalists
- Professional training on how to pitch to investors during the Acceleration Workshop
- A stand in the Discovering Start-Ups Exhibition, with scheduled introductions and presentations to technology investors
- Exposure in the CW Journal and on-line
- 1yr Associate Membership of CW
Winners – Judges’ Awards
- All the above, plus:
- 1yr Founder Membership of CW
- 1 exhibition stand and delegate pass to CW International Conference 2019
More prizes will be added as they are confirmed.
2017 winners
- Codeplay - A R&D start-up, creating new generation of 3D controls for a wide range of applications.
- ZifiSense - Develops ZETA – a distributed, low-cost, low-power wide area network (LPWAN) that brings connected intelligence to things, anytime, anywhere.
- TG0 (Tangi0) - Connects the most advanced processor systems to artificial intelligence frameworks enabling the latest machine learning and vision processing application.