Rising Stars - UK pitch competition for early-stage tech startups

Take your startup to the next level

Searching for the UK’s next Rising Stars

Rising Stars 2.0 is the UK’s most exciting competition for innovative, early-stage tech startups, designed to take your business to the next level.

With a prize package built to significantly raise the profile and awareness of the winning companies on both a national and international level, you’ll also be given the opportunity to connect with top investors, influencers and corporates along the way.

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What’s involved?

Rising Stars 2.0 is the UK’s only truly national startup competition, designed to showcase and raise the profile of the best tech startups from all areas of the country.

Entrants are supported throughout the application process, and given training and support at each stage of the competition to enable you to compete to your best ability.

The competition culminates in a Grand Final in London where the top 20 companies, as selected by our judging panel, will pitch to a high profile panel and audience to be named as one of our 10 Rising Stars.

The prizes

We’ve spent time listening to feedback from the inaugural Rising Stars winners and curating a bespoke package of support to help take your business to the next level, including:

Facilitated introductions to investors and corporates

Business plan diagnostic, delivered by accounting and business advisory firm, BDO

Pitch training and coaching by Sunderland Software City

Opportunity to pitch your business in front of over 200 investors, accelerators, entrepreneurs and corporate leaders

Tech Nation content campaigns and national press coverage

Induction into the Rising Stars alumni network

Speaking opportunities, thought leadership and press through the Tech Nation network

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Who should apply >

We’re looking for the UK’s most exciting and innovative early-stage tech startups to apply to Rising Stars 2.0. We want to showcase the brightest and best that UK tech has to offer.

Your business must meet a few simple criteria though, including:

Seed to pre-Series A funding stage OR if revenue focused, generating annual revenues below £1.5m
A digital tech business with a product or service to sell*
At least one active client or pilot
Able to demonstrate market traction
HQ’d in UK
Company incorporated between 1-3 years

* no agencies or consultancies, sorry.

Timeline

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Former winners

We received hundreds of applications to Rising Stars 1.0. Our expert judging panel deemed the following companies as the brightest prospects in the UK tech scene. Will you be next to join this esteemed group?

Developing Experts
Norwich | Edtech | @developexperts
Empowering teachers and parents to teach science with confidence through a library of over 700 interactive, online science lessons.

https://www.developingexperts.com/
Metasonics
Bristol | Hardware & Devices & IoT | @MetasonicsCo
Developing the next generation of customised, scalable acoustic metamaterials, changing the way we use and interact with sound.

https://www.metasonics.co.uk/
People Matter Technology
Ringwood | Artificial Intelligence | SaaS | @peoplematterltd
People Matter Tech’s mental wellness platform is a safe online space that measures and improves mental wellness at work, without surveys. Their AI learns who you are and how your digital environment impacts your burnout risk, offering personalised recommendations.

https://peoplematter.tech/
PPC Protect
Bolton | SaaS | @ppcprotect
Award-winning, automated software that stops click fraud immediately and protects future campaigns.

https://ppcprotect.com
SeedLegals
London | Fintech | @seedlegals
Leveraging big data and human experts to solve the problem of expensive, time-consuming legals for startup funding rounds.

https://seedlegals.com/
Serelay
Harwell | Tech For Good | @serelaytech
Enabling mobile device users to capture verifiable photos and videos, and platforms receiving these to query them for authenticity of content, time and location.

https://www.serelay.com/
Tended
Lincoln | Hardware & Devices & IoT | @tended
Offering intelligent personal safety wearables and monitoring systems that provide all-round safety solutions for individuals and businesses.

https://tended.co.uk/
Tickr
Liverpool | Fintech | @my_tickr
tickr is transforming impact investment for Europe’s next generation of investors. For people who want to invest, but want to have a positive impact on society and the environment at the same time, tickr's app allows users to invest in socially responsible companies with as little as £5.

https://tickr.com
Vet-AI
Leeds | Healthtech & Biotech | @PetJoii
Combining the expertise of qualified vets and groundbreaking new technologies to deliver mobile, on-demand veterinary care, direct to pet parents.

https://www.vet-ai.com/
Vitaccess
Oxford | Healthtech & Biotech | @vitaccess
A platform that produces real-time data on how diseases and treatments impact patients’ everyday lives, based on tailor-made apps installed on their smartphones.

https://vitaccess.com/

“There were 3 reasons we entered Rising Stars – it raises your profile and spreads your name among other startups and investors, being involved with Tech Nation is a great stamp of approval and builds trust and recognition, and finally it’s a big morale booster for everyone involved in the business”
Anthony Rose, Founder & CEO, SeedLegals

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The judging panel

No one likes being judged, but in the case of a competition, it’s a necessary evil. That’s why we’ve pulled together an industry leading panel of judges to impartially judge entrants to this year’s competition.