Worcestershire’s first commercial tech accelerator is now recruiting for a new programme dedicated to entrepreneurs and technology businesses.
BetaDen will welcome new cohorts to Cohort 2.0, and will help to develop new concepts and product solutions co-located with the region’s 5G Testbed project team, all from its base in Malvern Hills Science Park, Worcestershire.
BetaDen’s launch, funded by the Worcestershire LEP with support from leading local technology businesses, runs parallel to the development of the 5G industry 4.0 Testbed following the Government’s £4.8 million project funding to Worcestershire in April last year.
This will be the second cohort to be launched by BetaDen. Cohort 1.0 went live as a nine-month programme in October 2018, and currently has six entrepreneurs in residence developing a range of next-generation technology solutions, including AI, VR, blockchain, IoT, and machine learning.
Members include machine learning technology Sidaway and Syndial, innovators in blockchain transactions.
“I am so pleased we were given the opportunity to grow Syndial as part of the BetaDen experience, rather than other conventional tech accelerators,” said Syndial’s founder Dr David Loww.
Cohort 2.0 will launch with a ten-week recruitment campaign from March 4th. It will offer up to ten individuals, SMEs or scale-ups intensive support to help design and build their idea and prepare it for market launch or be positioned for investment.
“We want to build on both the success of Cohort 1.0 and the growing business development opportunities in technology that Worcestershire has to offer,” said Linda Smith, Founder and CEO of BetaDen.
“The area has the expertise and momentum to be the home of future leading tech businesses for years to come, and the recruitment drive for Cohort 2.0 is a perfect example of this innovation investment.
“We want to build the region’s reputation as a location for bringing encouraging tech ideas to commercial reality, in the rapidly-developing location, and look forward to the new, innovative applications we will see for Cohort 2.0”.
Applications for Cohort 2.0 will close on April 30th 2019.