£3M Investment Awaits in 2025 Rising Stars Tech Competition

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 29 seconds

Tech

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Quick Read: The 2025 Rising Stars competition, a collaboration between Tech Nation and OnetoWin, offers £3 million in funding to early-stage UK tech startups across diverse sectors, with mentorship and regional heats culminating in a grand finale at London Tech Week.

Tech Nation, in partnership with OnetoWin, has unveiled the 2025 Rising Stars competition, a national initiative offering £3 million in investment to the UK’s most promising early-stage tech startups.

This year, the competition is bolstered by a merger with the West Midlands' OnetoWin pitch competition and supported by prominent backers including Rigby Group (SCC), Haatch, Wealth Club, HSBC Innovation Banking, Amazon Web Services, and the British Business Bank.

Regional Collaboration to Spotlight Talent

The competition is further strengthened by partnerships with regional organisations such as Manchester Digital, TechSPARK (Bristol), ScotlandIS, and Innovate Cambridge.

Over nine weeks of regional heats, tech startups will vie for a spot in the grand finale at London Tech Week, where the top 10 finalists will pitch their ideas to a live audience of investors, industry leaders, and media for a share of the £3 million investment fund.

Opportunities for Startups Across Sectors

Open to B2B and B2B2C tech founders, the competition spans a range of sectors including agritech, edtech, medtech, AI, health, and beauty tech.

Early-Stage Track: Tailored for pre-seed and seed-stage startups, with regional finalists competing for the

Haatch Regional Investment Prize of £335,000: Over £2 million in prizes will be distributed across regional heats.

Later-Stage Track: Focused on pre-Series A and Series A companies, with the grand prize of £1 million to be awarded at London Tech Week.

Applications are open from 21 January to 2 March 2025, with startups evaluated on team experience, business traction, value proposition, and growth potential.

Mentorship and Industry Access

Participants will benefit from tailored mentoring to refine their pitches and business strategies ahead of the finale.

Steve Rigby, co-CEO of Rigby Group, said:

"Talent can only thrive when it meets opportunity. This competition provides UK tech entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and connections needed to develop groundbreaking ideas that can drive economic growth and tackle real-world challenges."

Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Founders Forum Group, added:

"The Rising Stars competition supports scaleups across the UK, providing better resources and investment to foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and opportunities in all regions. This is a vital step for nurturing our tech ecosystem."

What's new

Aurrigo’s Autonomous Airport Tech Gets Green Light for Global Deployment

Coventry-based Aurrigo International has received formal approval for its autonomous ground handling technologies to be rolled out across over 60 airports globally, following a successful trial at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The breakthrough comes through its partnership with Aviation Solutions, a division of the Royal Schiphol Group, announced in April 2024. After testing Aurrigo’s Auto-DollyTug® and Auto-Sim® systems at Schiphol, the technology has now been validated for broader commercial deployment.

Royal Schiphol Group—operator of Schiphol, Rotterdam The Hague, and Lelystad Airports—holds stakes in a host of global hubs including Eindhoven, Brisbane, Hobart International, and JFK Terminal 4, and has collaboration agreements with Beijing Capital International Airport and Seoul Incheon. This global footprint now opens the door for Aurrigo’s smart airside innovations to be adopted worldwide.

Photo Credit: Aurrigo

Marcel Stroop, Director of Go-to-Market at Aviation Solutions said:

“Aurrigo is a true front-runner in autonomous ground handling. We work to deliver solutions we can guarantee 100%, and Aurrigo is now part of that movement—bringing proven innovations from Schiphol to airports around the world.”

The successful trial featured Aurrigo’s Auto-DollyTug®, a next-generation electric and autonomous vehicle for transporting luggage and cargo, and Auto-Sim®, a simulation platform that enables airports to plan, model and optimise autonomous operations in advance of real-world deployment.

With validation in hand, the next phase will focus on commercialising Aurrigo’s technology through Aviation Solutions’ extensive global network.

David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo said:

“This endorsement confirms the demand for our smart airside solutions. It also strengthens our go-to-market strategy by working with a trusted, incentivised partner who connects us with well-informed, progressive aviation customers.”

Aurrigo’s innovations are part of a growing trend toward automation in aviation, helping airports reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and support sustainability goals.

By Anushka Malhotra

8 Apr