A healthy snack brand and a tech firm that has developed a global recruitment platform for software developers are among the South West businesses named on a list of the UK’s top start-ups.
Four early-stage companies from across the region have been chosen by industry experts Startups.co.uk for its annual index of 100 innovative organisations launched in the last five years.
The chart, now it its 15th year, selects and ranks disruptive firms who have demonstrated innovation, solid finances, opportunity in their market, an inventive concept and a strong customer base or following.
Big names to have made the list in recent years include banking app Revolut, energy supplier Bulb, food delivery giant Deliveroo and online marketplace Not On The High Street.
Startups.co.uk said the four “ground-breaking” South West firms had all been chosen in line with this year’s index theme of ‘sustainability and alternative living’.
Topping this year’s list was London-based vehicle admin app Caura, with digital mapping app Sensat, cybersecurity firm Hack The Box, grocery relater The Modern Milkman and natural deodorant brand Wild all making the top five.
So, in order of where they placed on the list, here is an overview of each of the four South West start-ups that caught the judges’ eye…
Boundless Activated Snacking, Bristol
Index rank: 52
Founded by former commodities trader Cathy Moseley in 2017, the nuts and seeds retailer’s products are intended to encourage better gut health. Its range has listings with national supermarkets such as Sainsburys, high street heavyweights stores such as Holland & Barrett and John Lewis, as well as almost 2,000 independent stores across the UK.
The company recently secured a £650,000 investment and appointed one of the co-founders of fellow snack brand Graze to its board.
Bide Planet, Wiltshire
Index rank: 62
The social enterprise produces eco-friendly cleaning and body care products, distributed through 20 retailers to more than 5,000 customers.
It was found to address unemployment among marginalised women, which the B-corp pays to manufacture its products within their own homes at their convenience. It has also partnered with employment charities, Brunel University's environmental management department, and HMP Better Future's Networks.,
The firm, founded by Pewsey-based entrepreneur Amelia Gammon in 2021, has said it is focusing on bringing production to within 30 miles of consumption, and to help communities reduce their environmental burden by purchasing locally.
Deazy, Bristol
Index rank: 66
Recently name the 13th fastest-growing tech firm in the country by Deloitte, Andy Peddar’s Deazy has built a global register of software developers who it then matches with businesses based on their requirements.
The business, which raised £5m in a Series A funding round it closed at the start of last year, has also been tipped to scale and boost the UK economy by industry experts Tech Nation, which it selected as one of 15 South West firms to enter one of its prominent growth programmes.
For Peat’s Sake, Gloucestershire
Index rank: 70
The manufacturer produces a coconut-based alternative to peat compost, which is set to be banned in the UK from 2024. This is owing to peatlands being huge carbon stores, and a major contributor to global greenhouse gases.
Founded by environmental geography graduate, George Davies, the company’s renewable product is stocked by more than 130 retailers across the UK, including environmental giants such as the National Trust, Kew Gardens, Eden Project, and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.
The firm impressed the Startups 100 judges so much, it made the shortlist for the organisation’s special sustainability award.
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