Brighton is a hotbed of entrepreneurial talent with an open-minded community of consumers, making it the perfect place for disruptive innovation and new products to thrive. So it is no wonder that Brighton was crowned the ‘Startup capital of the UK’. In the same year, NatWest brought its Entrepreneurship Proposition in-house which consisted of 12 accelerator hubs around the UK, including Brighton. Since then, the Brighton Accelerator has supported hundreds of local entrepreneurs who have collectively created over 55 jobs and raised £713 million in investment.
The Accelerator is industry agnostic and welcomes a wide range of businesses, from products and services, to tech and software. This is a big part of what makes the proposition unique and makes up the first of the Programme’s three pillars: Network. The Accelerator hub is a place where like-minded founders can collaborate, exchange ideas and contacts, and tackle issues collectively. In addition, the entrepreneurs have the opportunity to have one-to-one meetings with the hub’s Development Manager to identify and make connections with key contacts, partners and mentors that can enable their growth.
The second pillar is the Environment. As a fully funded Programme, the Accelerator Hub offers the entrepreneurs free office space, community events, bookable meetings rooms, and an event space. Finally, we have the proposition’s third pillar and main differentiator from other acceleration programmes; Coaching. Members of the cohort have regular sessions with their assigned coaches to tackle their challenges and guide them in their entrepreneurial journey. The coaches also deliver workshops in various different themes ranging from Leadership and Mindset to Finance and Customer Validation. The average yearly turnover of businesses in the Accelerator is £79,000 with team numbers growing from one to over 40 people.
Businesses interested in applying for the programme can learn more by searching NatWest Accelerator or attending one of our hub tours or events by registering via Eventbrite.
To find out more about the Accelerator hub, email BrightonAccelerator@natwest.com
10 Brighton start-ups to watch in 2020
The Accelerator team have identified the Brighton start-ups that are growing at a fast pace, or about to disrupt their industry.
Truthpaste
Handmade here in Brighton, Truthpaste is a leading brand in alternative toothpaste and oral care. Their unique formula is waste free, cruelty free and 100% natural. Influenced by ayurveda and aromatherapy Truthpaste harnesses antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of botanical ingredients.
Founder: Marissa Battrick
Industry: Health and Beauty
Percept Imagery
Percept Imagery is an award-winning technology company that lets you experience products and proposed spaces in real time via its cloud based AR and VR platforms.
Founders: Akshay Saswade and Rohan Satpute
Industry: Ecommerce, Retail, AEC (Architecture, engineering and construction)
Ducit.ai
Ducit.ai is the artificial intelligence Open Banking platform that enables banks and lenders make better credit risk and fraud detection decisions, and empowers consumers to get access to suitable financial products and services.
Founders: Rafa Garcia Navarro, Owen Ball and Chas Coppard
Industry: FinTech
Practice Hub
Europe’s first all-in-one cloud-based practice management software for chiropractors that supports and manages clinics with scheduling, billing, clinical notes and marketing. Their subscription software is now used by practices in over 30 countries.
Founders: Jeremy McMinn
Industry: Healthcare
Ocasta
Ocasta are on a mission to transform how people work! They boost performance, engagement and compliance in organisations through behaviour changing digital transformation and employee apps. Working across multiple sectors including multinational retailers, telcos, online service providers, charities and universities.
Founder(s): Ben Collier, Ed Moore, Martin Higham and Stephen Liddell
Industry: Employee Tech
SimplyVAT.com
Providing international VAT solution for online retailers with clients in 50 countries, SimplyVAT is growing at a fast pace and are developing a software to meet the changing VAT landscape.
Founder: Claire Taylor
Industry: Financial Services
Votch
Europe’s first vegan friendly watch brand offering stylish, minimal watches with individual straps that are all interchangeable and made from Pinatex: a material made from pineapple waste.
Founder: Laura Way
Industry: Fashion
BubbleLife
Providing a truly plastic-free and zero-waste solution to liquid soap, bath and shower products. Made from the finest ingredients, their ‘bubbles’ are transported to your home in biodegradable/reusable packaging, before being placed in a BubbleLife dispenser.
Founders: Carolina Avellaneda and Jon McGlashan
Industry: Health and Beauty
Soaked
Soaked provides haircare products on subscription that are good quality, affordable, and personalised. You receive a glass ‘bottle for life’ and sign up to a monthly subscription to receive recyclable refill pouches through your letterbox.
Founder: Hollie Sanglier
Industry: Health and Beauty
O’Shaughnessy Drinks
The first cannabis drink company in the UK, O’Shaughnessy Drinks are infused with a water-soluble full spectrum cannabis solution from approved European hemp strains that deliver a daily dose of cannabinoids to people as an all-natural supplement.
Founder: Tony Fowler
Industry: Health and Wellbeing
