WORCESTERSHIRE’S inaugural Innovation Worcestershire TechFest came to an inspirational close this evening with a showcase of technology developed by Cohort 8.0 of the county’s award-winning technology accelerator BetaDen, writes Caitlin Valle.
Seven early-stage, Worcestershire-based businesses – including Malvern-based Garland Surgical – presented their innovations to a sold-out audience of customers, investors and partners at Stanbrook Abbey.
Garland Surgical’s star innovation was a longer-lasting hip replacement that improves outcomes for younger, active patients.
Donston Powell, external affairs director at BetaDen, said: “Once again we have been blown away by the calibre and diversity of the technologies developed by our founders on the Accelerate programme.
“Supported by our hand-picked team of commercial mentors, they have each grabbed the opportunity to hone their ideas and identify their most promising routes to market over the last nine months, strengthening their businesses and ensuring they are well placed for their next stage of growth.”
Gary Woodman, CEO of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, described the BetaDen Showcase as a ‘fantastic way’ to round off the first country-wide technology festival
He added: “Those businesses that have been supported have gone from strength over the last few years: Creating jobs and developing a network of thriving technology businesses in the county.
“The Showcase demonstrated the breadth and depth of talent that exists in Worcestershire – not only when it comes to security and software development but also in MedTech , manufacturing and other sectors.
“Events like BataDen’s Showcase and our new TechFest shine a light on how technology is key to every business sector, encourages investment, creates opportunities and supports technology entrepreneurs in the region to the benefit of our wider community.”
Simon Misfud, CEO of Malvern Hills-based Garland Surgical, showcased their new hip replacement technology at the event.
He added: “The showcase provided the perfect opportunity to demonstrate our progress over the last nine months and make connections with key personnel who can help us on the next stage of our journey.
“BetaDen Accelerate has given us invaluable opportunity to develop and commercialise our ideas as part of a wider eco-system of technology entrepreneurs, bouncing ideas between each other and bringing new perspectives that simply wouldn’t have been possible in other settings.”
BetaDen Accelerate is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda, and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.
The Fund aims to increase life changes across the UK, investing in communities and places, supporting local businesses, and people and skills.
Visit www.bedta-den.com for more information. Visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus for more information.
