Arbuthnot Latham today announces the game-changing entrepreneurs who have secured a place in the final of the third annual Inspiring Innovator of the Year Award.
Working in partnership with the Cass Business School at City, University of London, Arbuthnot Latham rewards and recognises the extraordinary entrepreneurial talent of the UK’s future business leaders.
The award provides entrepreneurs with the support, expertise and guidance that is crucial to navigating the competitive market landscape as they begin their entrepreneurial journey.
The finalists will showcase their innovations at Arbuthnot Latham’s London office on 23rd May to a panel of entrepreneurial experts including Paul Beach, Head of Executives & Entrepreneurs at Arbuthnot Latham, Brett Akker, co-founder of LOVESPACE and Sean Reel, Arbuthnot Latham’s Entrepreneur in Residence.
The winner will receive a monetary contribution and a bespoke mentoring package from successful entrepreneurs and professional experts to help them refine, implement and grow their business plan.
This year’s finalists are:
Podium: an education technology platform that turns the unstructured data that currently lies dormant in pupils’ daily work into simple visualisations of a pupil’s strengths and weaknesses.
Prism: a digital marketplace connecting cinemas with spare capacity to consumers wanting cheaper tickets, and comparing local cinema times and prices.
Unicorn Electrics: the first manufacturer of premium electric bike sharing stations for the private sector to help clients reduce their carbon footprint, boost profitability and increase the value and attractiveness of their properties and businesses.
The Little Coffee Company: A group of female farmers who work together to source and produce some of the rarest Jamaican coffee beans in the world, to help fund environmentally-friendly farming projects and to help other female farmers become more economically independent.
Paul Beach, Head of Executives & Entrepreneurs at Arbuthnot Latham, said: “We’re thrilled to announce this year’s exceptionally talented finalists. Identifying a gap in the market and turning an idea into a thriving business is a fascinating yet complex journey. It’s vital that we foster the talents of the UK’s entrepreneurs to maximise their incredible potential.
“Entrepreneurship is at the heart of what we do at Arbuthnot Latham and we’re excited to help our finalists realise their growth ambitions and curate a successful and impactful business.”
Nicola Alexander and Claire Wu, Co-Founders of Podium, said: “We can’t wait to pitch at the Inspiring Innovator event. We see a real gap for Podium in the education system and our ambition is to expand our reach across the UK. Being mentored by experts in entrepreneurship is such a crucial step in that journey.”
Archna Luthra, Founder of Prism, said: “Building a successful business is without doubt an iterative process. My goal is to transform Prism from a concept into a reality, and Arbuthnot Latham’s guidance and insights will help refine my idea and spur growth.”
Ludovico Tessari and Anxhelo Zylyftari, Co-Founders of Unicorn Electrics, said:
“This is a big opportunity for us, and we’re excited to see Arbuthnot Latham working closely with entrepreneurs – it’s rare to see a bank offer this level of guidance. We have big ambitions for Unicorn Electrics and we hope that with their support, we can finalise our prototype and further grow our business.”
Lauren LeFranc, Founder of The Little Coffee Company, said: “Having a platform like this, where you can present your ideas to experts who want to see your business thrive, is invaluable. I’m thrilled to be a finalist and to represent the farming community of Jamaica. I hope that Arbuthnot Latham’s involvement will further propel The Little Coffee Company forwards.”
