Fuelled by investment in Wales’s infrastructure and start-up scene, there are some very impressive entrepreneurs doing some very clever things in a number of sectors – we cast our eye over some of the best start-ups from all corners of the country.
SuperStars
Superstars founder and managing director James Taylor is one of the brightest entrepreneurial stars in Wales. In May he was also named Director of the Year by the Institute of Directors.
His primary business SuperStars is a hugely successful company that also hits all the right notes in terms of social conscience. It provides educational programmes based around sport, dance and other physical activities to keep children entertained and healthy.
Blurrt
A business of a completely different nature but with huge potential is Blurrt.
It’s a very smart social media analysis tool that can provide very real and meaningful insights into big events in real time. They count Warner Bros among their clients, so someone with very deep pockets has already been convinced of their value.
Creo Medical
The team at Creo Medical has just secured $8.45m in a very successful funding round. They are backed by the Angel CoFund and Finance Wales among others.
The company’s flagship product CROMA is described as ‘the first new electrosurgical platform in a generation’. Not entirely sure what that means but it sounds impressive and in terms of investment the numbers speak for themselves.
Johnny on the Spot
The surfing industry is really taking off at the minute and Johnny on the Spot is a mobile app that looks to combine the coolest aspects of the culture with some pretty smart technology.
>See also: 25 of the most exciting tech companies in the UK
It’s essentially a mobile PA for surfers – monitoring tidal patterns; weather and all other going concerns on whichever beach you find yourself. Surf’s up!
Veeqo
When you’re an online retailer whose orders suddenly start going through the roof it’s obviously a great feeling – but it can make managing all of the orders tricky.
That’s where Veeqo comes in. It creates a single dashboard from where you can manage all retail activity and make sure you’re not overwhelmed by the new-found demand. Not unique in its offering but feedback suggests it performs very well. And the news get better for the company as it’s about to launch in the US. Pob lwc!
Treetop Films
Formed in 2011, Treetop Films demonstrate the creative side of the Welsh start-up scene. Founded by filmmaker Owain Hopkins, they script, shoot and edit films from everything from weddings to music videos.
Wales has always had a strong creative scene and Treetop Films combine that with a business nous that makes them one of the great survivors – and a company that looks to be going places.
Hoowla
Hoowla are a young company looking to revolutionise legal software. Some of the older legal firms are famously resistant to modernisation so making any digital improvements as intuitive as possible is key.
It specialises in house-buying transactions and making the incredibly painful process as stress-free as possible. So far it looks like it’s making a decent fist of it.
Further reading: Business grants in Wales
