Exchange, a programme that seeks to support early-stage tech businesses, is searching for stand-out start-ups in the tech industry to join its fifth cohort of companies who are innovating in their industries – with applications due to close on January 11th 2023.
The successful tech scale-up support scheme is now in its third year and is welcoming applications for places on its March 2023 programme. To date, Exchange has supported more than 450 people from over 100 businesses that have created over 120 jobs. The scheme’s tech start-ups have raised more than £10m in funding on their growth journeys.
Applications to find its fifth cohort of tech businesses opened early in December, with judging and next stage interviews set to take place in January 2023.
The scheme seeks to support the UK’s next generation of tech businesses reach their full potential and is based at Department Bonded Warehouse in Enterprise City, Manchester. It offers ambitious entrepreneurs and their businesses a physical base in the city’s tech, media and creative cluster, as well as access to industry experts, networking and learning events, opportunities and introductions for funding and a place in a network of like-minded entrepreneurs.
Programme partners span marketing, legal, accounting, recruitment and funding functions, giving successful businesses a complete toolkit of resources to thrive and place themselves among the UK’s most exciting start-ups.
Alice Glover, community outreach lead at Exchange Enterprise City, said: “We’re on the hunt for the next wave of exciting business to join our community of entrepreneurs. Over the past three years we have witnessed many success stories and want to continue this and support another series of businesses reach their full potential, with the help of our partners and the ecosystem we have built.
“Scaling a business isn’t a level playing field with considerably less women and people from underrepresented backgrounds given the opportunity to bring their ideas to life. Despite women outnumbering men in the UK, only one in five businesses are run by women. We have also seen that split reflected in previous applications for the Exchange but this year we want to change that.
“This year we’ll be working more closely with Exchange alumni and the wider female business community to inspire even more people to scale their own enterprises, and make the best use of the ambition, ideas, and determination of people of all demographics.”
Exchange is at the heart of Enterprise City at St. John’s, Manchester, and a catalyst for small businesses to join the wider ecosystem, creating jobs and contributing to the region’s tech industry. The programme is delivered in collaboration with its knowledge partner, Tech Nation.
The scheme’s alumni include Pixel Max, a 3D virtual workplace tech business which raised more than £2 million while it was an Exchange member, My First Five Years, which secured £1.4 million at the beginning of this year, Versori and Sparkbox, which have both recently completed £1.5 million deals to enable them to grow to the next level.
If you would like to apply to join the fifth Exchange cohort and benefit from the knowledge and support offered, apply today at https://www.enterprisecityuk.com/exchange-application/.
