From Apple Beats 1's worst nightmare to a meds delivery app: 20 startups looking to change everything

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They're all competing for a valuable opportunity

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(Image credit: Tech North)

This article is part of our TechRadar North column, a series focusing on the development of the north of England's tech sector.

Update: After 20 slick pitches, the 10 finalists have emerged from the Northern Stars Grand Final. They are:

- Airtime Rewards
- Ash.tv
- Dream Agility
- DueCourse
- LivingLens
- ProxiSmart
- Radio.co
- Swapbots
- TopicDNA
- Valuechain

If the ability to change the world isn't enough to spur on a startup, then stratospheric valuations of companies such as Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram should be. They don't have to hail from the well-represented locations of Silicon Valley or London's Tech City to make it big either – just ask Leeds-based SkyBet or Manchester retail juggernaut AO – which can both be found in the north of England and are valued at more than $1 billion.

Northern Stars, an initiative designed to highlight and nurture some of the most promising startups from the region, has announced the 20 finalists taking part in its 2016 competition. Among them are a company that delivers medication to your door, Just Eat-style; a website that lets you host your very own radio station, and a maker of augmented reality toys designed to inspire and teach.

The grand final of the pitch competition, which was started by UK tech hub Tech North last year, is being held at Old Granada Studios in Manchester on November 17 where each startup will pitch for a stand at TechCrunch Disrupt London and The Next Web Europe conference. They will also get the opportunity to pitch to investors at Bloomberg in London.

Before we take a look at them, TechRadar caught up with some of last year's winners. To give you an idea of what this year's winners can expect, here's what they said.

Jack Barmby (CEO and founder, Gnatta)

How did winning last year's competition impact your business?

"One of the biggest things that we got from Northern Stars has been the help to build relationships with so many new contacts – mainly the other winners of the award. We’ve met investors, received advice outside the business, met like-minded people and have even gained some business through the network we’ve grown in our time as a winner."

What advice would you give to this year's finalists?

"One thing stuck with me most: boil it all down as if you're speaking to a child because nobody understands your business as well as you do. Pitches are about piquing interest – a gateway to further conversations, so make sure you’re focussed on the right parts. The best advice I can give is to ask yourself 'so what?'' whenever you add a sentence into your pitch."

Richard Potter (CEO, Peak)

How did winning last year's competition impact your business?

"We received some great PR and the opportunity to attend leading global tech events. Perhaps more importantly, we’ve gained a lot of confidence and made tons of new connections. The Northern Stars prize package allowed us to meet lots of potential investors and eventually fundraise in 2016. The entire process has enabled us to expand our team, invest in technology and acquire new customers at an incredible rate."

What advice can you give this year’s finalists?

"Practice the pitch until you can do it with your eyes closed and make sure you demonstrate how you can commercialise your ideas."

Al Mackin (Co-founder and CEO, Formisimo)

How did winning last year's competition impact your business?

"The big wins for us were free access to events (TechCrunch Disrupt was great for the team) and exposure. The last one was key to us – we have to get our proposition out there and using Tech North's channels gets us to a wider audience which was a big plus."

What advice can you give this year’s finalists?

"Make sure everyone knows you've been selected and get the word out because it's easy to get lost in the noise. Connect with the other winners as they might have a different offering but are on the same journey as you."

Gilbert Corrales (CEO, Leaf.fm)

How did winning last year's competition impact your business?

"Winning gave us access to world-class events, press and network opportunities that are continuing to deliver. It also allowed us to create relationships with other winners that have gone above and beyond partnerships; one example for us being with the guys from Peak with whom we have been developing new technology by combining our expertise."

What advice can you give this year’s finalists?

"Getting the award is nice, but making the best out of it is up to you. The opportunities are there but you can't sit back and relax and expect stuff to fall from the heavens."

With that done, scroll up to the top picture and hit the right-hand arrow to discover the 20 Northern Stars 2016 finalists. 


Kane Fulton
Kane Fulton
Kane has been fascinated by the endless possibilities of computers since first getting his hands on an Amiga 500+ back in 1991. These days he mostly lives in realm of VR, where he's working his way into the world Paddleball rankings in Rec Room.