Pitch-perfect for Duke of York at Cambridge Judge
The Cambridge Judge Business School hosted Pitch@Palace 10.0
Cambridge Judge Business School hosted 42 entrepreneurs last week as part of the annual Pitch@Palace event.
Founded in 2014, Pitch@Palace invites applications from entrepreneurial technology businesses at all stages in categories including fintech, cyber security, smart cities, biotech/medtech and AI/robotics.
The technology-focused event, established by the Duke of York to guide, support and connect entrepreneurs in the development of their businesses, featured three-minute pitches by the 42 to an audience of potential supporters, including influencers, angels, mentors and investors.
“Pitching and talking about your business is a hugely important aspect of business life,” the Duke of York told the boot camp audience at Cambridge Judge, adding that it is important for entrepreneurs to meet supporters who can “make a connection not only to you but for you” in terms of broader networks. The duke is patron of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Cambridge Judge.
Other speakers at the Thursday boot camp included Professor Stephen Toope, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge; Professor Christoph Loch, dean of Cambridge Judge Business School; and Professor Andy Neely, pro-vice-chancellor for enterprise and business relations at the University of Cambridge.
Twelve of the 42 ventures were selected to pitch for three minutes each at Pitch@Palace 10.0, to be held at Buckingham Palace on November 8, while the other 30 ventures will pitch for 30 seconds each at the event.
The 12 entrepreneurs selected to make three-minute pitches on November 8 were Biopaxium Technologies, Biosure, Fresh Check, Goodbox, Ideabatic, Lilypads, Mobiloo Ireland, On the Tools, Stasher, Turtle Pack, Virti and Voxpopme.
Three of the ventures at the boot camp have ties to Cambridge Judge Business School. They are:
- Ideabatic, which developed a “smart box” system designed to prevent vaccines being spoiled in hot or remote locations. The venture was founded by Kitty Liao, an alumna of the Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (PGDE) programme part of the Cambridge Launchpad of the Entrepreneurship Centre at Cambridge Judge.
- H24E Innova, a power-generating venture founded by two Cambridge MBA alumni, Tadashi Kubo and Patara Panuparb (both MBA 2017). The system developed by H24E Innova generates on-demand clean electricity by combining ultra-short pulse laser technology with a hydrogen-based fuel cell, to help solve shortages of power and drinking water in off-grid areas.
- POCKiT diagnostics, which aims to improve diagnosis of brain stroke through the application of rapid immune-based detection of stroke-specific biomarkers. The venture is currently supported by the Accelerate Cambridge programme of the Entrepreneurship Centre.
CEO and co-founder of Belgrave Road-based POCKiT diagnostics, Gonzalo Ladreda, said: “It was an amazing event, the best one that I have ever been to.
“Pitch@Palace is a network more than an award, so we won very useful connections. Some of the key industry players were in the room listening to us.
“Also, The Duke of York announced that the November 8 final will be at Buckingham Palace, which is something very exciting for all of us.”
POCKiT diagnostics’ innovation is the application of rapid detection of stroke-specific biomarkers to provide a diagnosis of stroke in less than 20 minutes. A simple blood test rapidly differentiates between the two main types of stroke, acute ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage.
“Rapid diagnosis of stroke subtype will allow specific treatment to be delivered earlier and will reduce stroke-induced disability and mortality,” said Gonzalo.
