Kane Fulton, January 13, 2020 3 min read
Unfortunately for Wales, the country didn’t see a winner emerge from our Rising Stars 2019 competition. Early-stage companies from across the UK are once again set to pitch at this year’s Rising Stars 2.0 semi-final on 15-16 January in Manchester – and we’ve had a chat with founders of the three competitors from Wales who are hoping emerge victorious. Read on for their thoughts on reaching the semi-final, and what it’s like to be a digital tech company based in the country.
Resooma (@reportsupport_) from Cardiff is the first subscription-based, end-to-end rental platform designed around the needs of the tenant. The platform uses technology which enables tenants to search, view, secure and manage their home, taking the stress out of renting. Resooma’s founder Daniel Jeffreys tells us more.
How does it feel to be a Rising Stars semi-finalist?
We’re thrilled that Resooma has been chosen as a Rising Stars semi-finalist. Being recognised as a regional winner for Wales is another step on our journey towards fixing the private rental market.
What’s it like being a digital tech company in Wales?
The Welsh tech scene is an exciting place to be. External investment is flowing into the region which is enabling companies like Resooma to grow and succeed. There is a lot of interest in the space locally and with universities on our doorstep, there is an endless supply of talent coming through. Early-stage support for startups is already abundant so we’re looking forward to seeing what the 2020s bring to Wales.
Moneyshake (@moneyshake) is a car lease comparison website that provides a quick, easy-to-use UX experience which streamlines deals from some of the UK’s top leasing brokers. Their pioneering technology is set to evolve “price comparison” to “price competition”. Moneyshake cofounder Eben Lovatt tells us more.
How does it feel to be a Rising Stars semi-finalist?
Everyone at Moneyshake is extremely proud to have been recognised as one of the UK’s fastest-growing fintech companies. It’s a feat which motivates the team and directors to constantly strive for better solutions to improve the leasing model. However, by no means are we the finished article. Next year spells the launch of our innovative ‘reverse auction’ technology in the leasing sector, which will add to our existing fast user experience and streamline results in minutes.
What are you up to in 2020?
Exciting tie-ups with household name white label partners in 2020 are set to put the business on the map and reach a wider audience with our values of transparency, innovation and trust. Our vision is to use our unique technology platform to expand into other consumer sectors such as car and home insurance, which will lay the foundations of a busy and exciting year.
What’s it like being a digital tech company in Wales?
Moneyshake’s office spaces are in Newcastle-Under-Lyme and Cwmbran, in the regions of Staffordshire and Torfaen, respectively. Both areas are home to innovative new startup businesses and education establishments renowned for nurturing young, hungry talent. Moneyshake has reaped the benefits of being in and around this culture, as members of the current team are graduates from local universities.
We Build Bots (@webuild_bots) delivers AI powered automation to the public sector, helping organisations deliver better, faster and cheaper citizen services. Leveraging bots, voice and conversational analytics, they help the public sector make better use of the data they collect, making it more predictive and more productive. Paul Shepherd, founder at We Build Bots, tells us more.
How does it feel to be a Rising Stars semi-finalist?
It’s great to be recognised by an organisation like Tech Nation. We’re really proud to make it through to the Rising Stars semi-final with so much great tech happening in Wales.
What’s it like being a digital tech company in Wales?
Wales is super supportive of the tech ecosystem, from the government to coworking spaces, meet-ups and support networks. Added to that all the beaches, mountains and a great city like Cardiff, and it kind of has it all!
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