The third edition of the Prolific North Tech Companies to Watch list for 2024 was unveiled at an exclusive Manchester event, spotlighting 15 innovative start-ups.
- Held on 17 October at Bruntwood SciTech’s Circle Square in Manchester, the event was an opportunity for attendees to network and gain insights from tech industry experts.
- The unranked list was curated through extensive research and submissions, highlighting startups based on ingenuity, market uptake, and funding success.
- Key innovations featured included solutions for the teaching retention crisis, breast cancer detection improvements, and a productivity platform for legal teams.
- The event included discussions on investment strategies, highlighting the importance of patient recruitment and a positive company culture.
The highly anticipated Prolific North Tech Companies to Watch list for 2024, marking its third consecutive year, was unveiled at a significant event on 17 October, hosted at Bruntwood SciTech’s No. 1 Circle Square in Manchester. This event fostered networking opportunities and provided industry insights from notable tech experts.
The Prolific North editorial team curated the list, evaluating numerous submissions from the tech sector. The criteria focused on the originality of ideas, tangible evidence of market uptake, and success in securing funding. This year, the list prominently features startups addressing issues such as the retention crisis in teaching, enhancing breast cancer detection, and providing efficient solutions for legal teams.
David Prior, editor at Prolific North, and Jack Maher from Bruntwood SciTech initiated the event with an informative dialogue. Maher elaborated on how their organisation aids startups through innovation hubs and various programmes. The event also highlighted Manchester’s burgeoning innovation district.
Of particular interest was a discussion led by Alexander Brooks-Sykes from SafetyCulture, illustrating the company’s growth from a simple checklist app to an expansive frontline operations platform. Brooks-Sykes praised Manchester for its connectivity and talent pool, attributing this to local universities’ calibre. His narrative underscored the importance of strategic recruitment and maintaining a constructive organisational culture.
The event’s momentum continued with the unveiling of this year’s tech list. Attendees heard from key figures at companies like Decently, North AI, and Sum Vivas. James Chapman explained Decently’s innovative AI platform, designed to support brain trauma recovery efforts. Rishi Kapoor from North AI highlighted their venture’s impact on the film and TV sector. Rob Sims from Sum Vivas shared their work in AI-integrated digital influencerdom, aiming to modernise industry practices.
Concluding the event were pivotal discussions on fundraising, led by various industry experts. Key takeaways included the necessity for startups to remain visible and engage consistently with investors. The emphasis was placed on the scalability of tech solutions and the composition of founding teams. Panelists advised maintaining significant equity and critically evaluating the need for external capital.
This comprehensive list, while not exhaustive or ranked, showcases diverse start-ups like Wordsmith, Fireflai, and others, illustrating the breadth of innovation across the Northern regions of England and Scotland.
The 2024 Tech Companies to Watch exemplifies the dynamic and innovative spirit present across the Northern tech landscape, offering insights into future trends.