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AberInnovation and Innovation Strategy host a showcase to celebrate the success of the businesses taking part in the second round of the Mid Wales launchpad
On the 16th of April the second round of the Mid-Wales Launchpad came to a close at the showcase event at AberInnovation. 11 businesses demonstrated what they had achieved over the course of three months to guests from Welsh Government, Innovate UK, FSB Wales, and Ceredigion County Council.
In this round businesses were tasked with developing innovative solutions to address issues related to rural health and wellbeing across three different themes:
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Ageing well and promoting wellness
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Farming and primary production to promote yields
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Protecting our waterways and coastal areas
These themes were developed by the teams at Innovation Strategy and AberInnovation in conjunction with local programme partners to address pressing regional societal issues and align closely with regional and national policies.
The 11 businesses were awarded research and development contracts of up to £15,000 to develop novel solutions to the themes identified. During the 12-weeks of the programme businesses received tailored one-to-one mentoring from Innovation Strategy, masterclasses, and access to AberInnovation’s unique facilities to accelerate innovation.
Novel solutions included the Sugar Slayer app, a 12-step programme to help individuals tackle type 2 diabetes through heritage recipes, and Verikit’s Verticube, an automated vertical farming unit. The Mid-Wales Launchpad also supported ArcitekBio to scale-up their process to manufacture xylitol a sugar alternative from waste products. Yma was able to conduct a study into the most effective ways to bring healthcare directly into the farming community and Cleobury PM used the Launchpad funding to carry out a feasibility study regarding planting tea in mid-Wales which led to their first crops going in the ground. To read more about the innovative work carried out by the 11 businesses as part of the workshop head to our case studies page.
Through the Launchpad Skills Builder aspect of the programme 11 individuals from mid-Wales were partnered with the businesses and given the opportunity to develop new skills including marketing and laboratory work, helping close the skills gap Ceredigion. Some of the skills builder individuals were able to secure full-time employment as a result.
The second round of the Launchpad has successfully supported innovative businesses to achieve sustainable growth and develop new products for the market, promoting economic growth across Ceredigion and mid-Wales whilst developing novel solutions to societal issues. The cohort of businesses are going on to secure additional funding for their projects, with support from Innovation Strategy, and many have formed additional collaborations for future projects building a unique innovation ecosystem in mid-Wales.
If you’re interested in participating in the Mid Wales Challenge-Led Launchpad keep an eye out for information about the upcoming third round through the Innovation Strategy social media.