Deadline extended for technology innovators

BetaDen – Worcestershire’s commercial technology accelerator based at Malvern Hills Science Park - has announced an extension to the application deadline for its fourth cohort of businesses.

Applications were set to close on 18 December but this has been extended until 8 January 2021, following feedback from interested parties struggling to meet the pre-Christmas deadline.

Linda Smith, founder and CEO of BetaDen, said: “We’ve already received some really interesting applications to join the next BetaDen cohort, which begins in March 2021, but since we announced the application schedule in November, we’ve received feedback from a variety of businesses that they are struggling to meet the initial deadline in light of this year’s unprecedented twin challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit preparations.

“At BetaDen, our mission is to provide real support to real businesses, helping them accelerate their route to market so, with the reality of their situation in mind, we have decided to extend the application deadline, allowing interested tech entrepreneurs and established businesses developing new technology to make the most of the quieter Christmas period to work on their applications. The remainder of the recruitment timeline will remain unchanged, with interviews taking place in late January for a March onboarding process.”

BetaDen announced a refreshed programme of support worth around £50,000 for Cohort 4 earlier this year, including access to Worcestershire’s 5G testbed, a £10,000 proof of concept grant, mentoring from BetaDen’s handpicked team of commercial and technology experts and office space in Malvern Hills Science Park. Those joining the programme in March 2021 will also benefit from its industry expertise partnership with Steatite, part of Solid State PLC. BetaDen is unique in the technology sector, both in terms of the value of support it provides and the fact that cohort businesses don’t need to surrender equity in their business to access the accelerator. As well as early-stage businesses, it also creates opportunities for established businesses to develop technology within the accelerator, effectively supporting in-house R&D activity.

Linda continued: “For Cohort 4, we are focusing our attention on companies developing new and emerging technologies in six key areas: 5G, Industry 4.0, Security by Design, Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. These can be for emerging applications across a range of industrial and supply chain market places. With a strong track record of helping businesses commercialise their ideas, secure investment and create new jobs, I’d encourage anyone who thinks their business could benefit from the programme to get their application in and make sure 2021 is the year they bring those innovations to life.”

BetaDen recently celebrated its second birthday and, to date, has supported 22 early stage technology businesses, helping them develop successful routes to market, secure hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment and create news jobs in that time.

Companies interested in applying for Cohort 4 can visit https://www.beta-den.com/apply-now/ for further information and must submit their application by the new deadline of Friday 8 January 2021.

A video about the application process is also available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyyYd-kGfGo.