Inicio.ai wins £1.35m in One To Win pitch competition
By Molly Matthews
1 minute 57 seconds
Press Release
Share:
Quick Read: Inicio.ai, a fintech tech startup based in the West Midlands has been awarded £1.35 Million at Birmingham Tech Week’s Tech Awards as part of the One To Win pitch competition. One to Win is spearheaded by TechWM, Rigby Group plc, SCC, Haatch, and the West Midlands Co-Invest Fund (delivered through Midven, part of Future Planet Capital), and boasts the largest single prize for any pitch competition in the UK.
Four months after the competition was announced at London Tech Week, Inicio AI, the home of Budgie AI, a virtual agent that provide consumers with financial support without fear or embarrassment of waiting to speak to a human agent has been picked as the region’s most promising start-up business. Backed by leading investors, stakeholders, and key tech players, the pitch competition demonstrates the belief in the region’s ability to become a global tech superpower and shines a light on the region’s vibrant and thriving tech sector on the national stage.
Inicio.ai was part of a shortlist of three West Midlands based startups including ChangeMaker3D, a 3D concrete printing company aiming to reduce carbon emissions and material costs; Skyfarer, a startup focusing on revolutionising the use of drones, particularly for medical uses.
The four finalists pitched on Wednesday 23 October to a panel of judges including Steve Rigby, CEO of Rigby Group plc; Yiannis Maos MBE, CEO of TechWM; Fred Soneya, Co-founder and General Partner at Haatch; Charlie Weavers-Wright, B2B SaaS Investor at Haatch; Hephzi Pemberton, Founder and Chair of Equality Group; and, Rupert Lyle, Fund Principal at West Midlands Co-Investment Fund. Together, this panel were looking out for the West Midlands business that’s demonstrating game-changing innovation and is on track to further impressive growth.
The initiative is also set to support those from the region who didn’t meet the entry criteria, offering alternative support: including opportunities for trade missions; investor connections; access to mentors and workshops; guidance on accelerators and incubators; and links to corporate innovation programmes.
Yiannis Maos MBE, Founder, Birmingham Tech Week and CEO TechWM commented:
“The One to Win competition is a testament to our ongoing efforts to nurture, support and promote the thriving tech ecosystem in the West Midlands. We firmly believe that our region is a hidden gem in the global tech landscape, and we’ve been working tirelessly to showcase its immense potential.
“Innovative initiatives like One to Win provide invaluable platforms for local startups to shine. Thanks to the generous support of our stakeholders, partners, and sponsors, we’re able to offer the winner a life-changing opportunity to receive the UK’s largest pitch competition prize.
“This win is not only a significant milestone for the winner but also a testament to the region’s growing reputation as a hub for tech innovation.”
Steve Rigby added:
“Congratulations to the winner on their well-deserved success, I look forward to following their progress. I also wish the very best to the other finalists, who I am sure will achieve great things. One to Win has shown that the West Midlands is home to some great entrepreneurial tech talent and I hope that this fantastic competition will create some momentum to encourage other entrepreneurs and investors to find success in our region.”
Proudly Backed By Our Patrons
