Exchange has welcomed 23 early-stage businesses to its revamped tech startup accelerator programme at Department Bonded Warehouse in Manchester.
The programme, now in its fourth year, has welcomed a diverse mix of ambitious founders to its seventh cohort. The startups are all seeking to scale with the support of the refreshed programme, its partners, advisor and mentor network, and a thriving community.
The cohort spans a wide range of sectors including tech for good, EdTech, HealthTech and AgriTech. It includes innovative concepts for responsible dog breeding, net zero consultancy, support for loneliness, digital picture books for families, and tools to block employer bias.
The group is made up of 12 new members who join 11 returning members for a further six months of support. It includes the likes of HACE, Sticky, MyOnlineCoach and FungAll.
Exchange will be spearheaded by new head Rich Jones (pictured) who has introduced a new structure, coaching and peer learning opportunities to the programme.
It offers six months in its collaborative city centre flexible workspace, exclusive member events, a community of fellow entrepreneurs, access to meetings and events space, and a content studio as they scale.
“We’re pleased to welcome some of the region’s most exciting businesses and their founders through the doors of Exchange again this year and help them as they scale,” said Jones.
“Tech like many other industries has experienced a tough time in recent months, so early-stage businesses must receive the right support to help them thrive. This year we have refreshed the programme introducing more frequent sessions to support our founders and their teams.
“This will give founders a well-rounded set of skills and tools to continue growing into the future.”
The six-month-long programme has been designed to help startups to tackle a significant business challenge each month. The Exchange team will host workshop events on subjects including sales, marketing, tech and funding.
It will lean on its impressive advisory and partner network including industry professionals Mark Kuhillow, Sam Royle and Lesley Calland to share their expertise on different subjects.
Exchange has supported over 450 people, sparking over 140 jobs, with members raising more than £13m in funding. Since January, three of the programme’s members have already secured over £1.3 million in funding. Alumni of the programme include PixelMax, Financielle, Sparkbox, Versori and Housr.
The cohort
The Grading Club – streamlining the grading, tracking, and trading process for trading card enthusiasts
Sticky – making every consumer interaction 10s or less with stickers
Konkr – matching individuals with health and wellness experts in movement, mind, and nutrition
FungAll – combining education, technology, and community focused developments to utilise the power of fungi
Aray Social – all-in-one platform connecting brands with content creators across beauty, lifestyle, and wellness to deliver a consistent stream of UGC content
Dust ID – your intelligent address book
Prooferr – create timestamped evidence that can be verified and legally recognised
HACE – AI-powered child labour index
My Online Coach – online and on-demand workplace coaching
The Killer Muse – peer-to-peer fashion rental platform
In House Health – implementing data-informed workplace wellbeing solutions
Hodi.TV – connecting the surfing community to help them improve
Calibrtr – monitoring and optimising AI costs in one place
Voir Agency – combining the principles of relationship-building alongside digital marketing
Circular Refining & Products Company – designing and delivering clean synthesised fuels to replace fossil fuels
IELTS Podcast – helping IELTS students pass their exams fast
Pet Trust UK – making buying animals online safer
Mutuals Club Ltd – small in-person gatherings curated with AI
Digitech Oasis – AI and robotics platform helping users to predict, improve and automate critical business functions
VoxANN – bridging text and speech across languages
Collaber – collaborative brand agency
Feather Bed Tales – digital picture books and greeting cards, recorded by you
Equal Employer – helping employers block bias in hiring