Exchange has opened applications to find its fourth cohort of tech entrepreneurs. The tech start-up support scheme has so far seen its members raise millions of pounds in funding, create hundreds of jobs, and win a series of national awards.
The scheme, based at Department Bonded Warehouse in Enterprise City, Manchester, offers ambitious growing tech businesses a physical base in its 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 likeminded entrepreneurs.
Programme partners span marketing, hiring, legal and funding functions, giving successful businesses the resources to become the UK’s next most exciting start-ups.
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 and the members from the current cohort, Versori and Sparkbox, which have both recently completed £1.5 million deals to enable them to grow to the next level.
Mo Aldalou, senior scaleup engagement manager at Tech Nation, said: “The Exchange programme offers a unique opportunity for founders in that it focuses on giving businesses with already strong foundations the necessary tools to accelerate growth through being part of a network. Entrepreneurialism can be lonely, but members of Exchange have one another to share their trials and tribulations with, experts to offer guidance and a wider ecosystem to be a part of, all of which is incredibly valuable to the scaling process.”
Across the first three cohorts, over 70 businesses have been supported and over 100 jobs created. The businesses have also raised a combined £7m in funding to support their growth ambitions. Applications for the fourth cohort close on July 7, with the scheme launching 01 September 2022.
