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Major competition for startups in Bristol launches for 2022
Entrepreneurs and founders are invited to enter a major competition that provides companies with a platform and helps them get investment-ready.
The Pitch is the biggest annual event of its kind and will see startups from across the country go up against each other for the chance to win prizes worth £10,000, as well as a mentoring package.
Along the way, entrants will have chance to practice their pitching skills, access advice and guidance on growing their business from industry experts and build connections with potential investors.
Regional finals for The Pitch 2022 are held in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, and London.
All About The Cooks was a Bristol finalist last year and since competing has launched a crowdfunding campaign and smashed the £250,000 target.
The company, which has created an online marketplace for home cooks to sell their homemade food, is now set for expansion.
Claire Ladkin, founder and CEO at All About The Cooks, says: “I learnt so much through The Pitch, and the introduction to [crowdfunding platform] Crowdcube has gone on to become an important part of our growth story.
“We’ve achieved Proof of Concept in Bristol and we’re raising investment to enable us to scale to six more cities in the next year.
“What we do is rooted in bringing people together to share food, and crowdfunding is all about communities and connectivity. It’s a great fit, and it works. I’d recommend The Pitch to anyone who is running an early-stage startup in Bristol.”
Regional finalists get to work with a pitching coach before taking to the stage in Bristol in September and the winners go on to pitch in the overall final in London in October.
Chris Goodfellow is the founder and CEO of Inkwell Agency, which delivers The Pitch
Chris says: “The Pitch is the perfect platform for early-stage startups to tell their story and connect to the support they need to make their business a success. As well as the competition, our team works hard behind the scenes to make one-to-one introductions to investors – the nine 2021 finalists have already raised more than £1m through our connections.”
This year there is a competition specifically for people running side hustles and both contests offer monetary prizes worth £5,000, plus a mentoring package.
Find out more and apply via www.thepitch.uk/apply-for-the-pitch/
Main photo: The Pitch/ Tom Ham
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