KPMG launches contest for start-ups

A COMPETITION to find the most exciting technology start-ups in Yorkshire has been started by KPMG.

The annual KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK competition has returned for 2024.

Launched by the firm’s Private Enterprise practice the competition, which has been running since 2013, has uncovered many outstanding tech businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber, as well as the wider UK winners such as What3Words and Babylon Health.

Last year, Harrogate-based iethico, which has developed a medicine sourcing solution to bridge the drug shortage gap, won the North East and Yorkshire regional heat of the competition and went on to represent the region in the UK final. In the 2022 competition, Hull-based HiiROC was crowned KPMG’s Tech Innovator in the UK winner and went on to win the global competition at Web Summit in Lisbon.

The competition is open to pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven businesses. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth plans to a panel of judges in the North East and Yorkshire regional heat.

The winners of each regional stage will then go on to the national final to be held in London in July this year. The overall winner will then go on to represent the UK at the global Web Summit later in the year.

Phil Murden, office senior partner at KPMG in Leeds, said: “There are a fantastic range of innovative start-ups in the Yorkshire and the Humber region. This competition really helps to shine a light on their incredible technologies as we’ve seen through past North East and Yorkshire winners iethico and HiiROC.

“The competition is great at unearthing the region’s hidden gems and we look forward to supporting them in growing their businesses.”