Today we can reveal the inaugural Midlands Tech 50 – our ranking of the region’s most exciting technology companies.
Enlighten was crowned the most innovative tech company in the Midlands after securing heavy backing from both an independent judging panel and the general public.
The Tamworth company develops augmented reality solutions which are used by UK mental health charities, colleges and universities and the armed forces as well as businesses.
Co-founder Suzanne Edwards (pictured below, left) told BusinessCloud that it is looking to help develop South Korea’s first mental health suicide prevention centre.
“I was desperate to make the top half of the ranking but didn’t even consider being top!” she said of the No.1 ranking. “We were really shocked – and we’re absolutely thrilled.”
The Midlands Tech 50 ranking in full
Judge Iain Mansell, networks and partnerships manager at the Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands, said he was “an avid supporter of the great work they do utilising emerging technology to help tackle the growing issues around mental health”.
He told BusinessCloud: “It was of no surprise when they were a top 10 Twitter influencer on World Mental Health Day alongside Theresa May and Lady Gaga due to their release of the world’s first free AR-enabled mental health support posters.
“I’m sure they will continue to gain accolade after accolade.”
Enlighten was followed in the ranking by Guykat, a B2B learning tech company operating in 50 countries, and employee wellbeing platform Kaido, which focuses on the core pillars of physical activity, mental health, nutrition and sleep and is already benefiting employees at a host of private and public sector organisations including KPMG and the NHS.
Cancer detection firm Oncimmune Holdings, which recently secured a €8.5 million credit facility to commercialise its offering and made several senior appointments including its first chief scientific officer, was fourth in the ranking.
Coding bootcamp School of Code rounded out the top five.
You can see the full top 50 list, which was compiled from a long-list of 119 disruptive companies, here.
The public vote on the long-list attracted hundreds of votes. A panel of expert judges also made their choices. The final 50 ranking was decided from a combination of these.
The judging panel was comprised of Iain Mansell (mentioned above); Naomi Watts, entrepreneur engagement manager (Midlands), Tech Nation; Dr David Hardman MBE, CEO of Innovation Birmingham; Molly Thompson, community engagement officer, Silicon Canal; Linda Smith, CEO/founder, BetaDen; Ken Nettleship, Business Expansion Specialist, Invest in Nottingham; David Baker, investment associate, Mercia Asset Management; and Jonathan Symcox, editor, BusinessCloud.
The Midlands Tech 50 ranking in full
Midlands Tech 50 is one of 11 annual regional ranked lists which will aim to shine a light on the companies of all sizes who are doing amazing things with technology.