Brands including Cisco, Bosch, British Gas, RPD International and Fab Fab London are now part of a group of support partners at the Internet of Things Launchpad.
Announced at the beginning of 2014 by prime minister David Cameron, the competition and initiative will provide a shared grant of £1 million to successful businesses as well as access to the brands for advice and guidance.
Gerard Grech, who took over as CEO of Tech City UK from former head of Facebook for Europe Joanna Shields in January, says that the competition now has a group of ‘high-calibre brands’ associated.
‘Working with early-stage start-ups, these companies will provide the mentoring and financial support needed for successful acceleration.
‘Their activity will greatly aid our aim to create an Internet of Things “super-cluster”, drawing on the software and marketing expertise of London and the hardware and network expertise of Cambridge.’
Mobile phone operator EE, retailer John Lewis and consumer goods business Unilever were already signed up to the scheme, which also features input from the Technology Strategy Board.
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- Second crop of Future Fifty businesses named
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New brand signup British Gas says it will offer successful start-ups the possibility of becoming integrated with the energy company’s systems, as well as mentoring and business support.
Seb Chakraborty, director of Technology at British Gas Connected Homes, comments, ‘With our Hive Active Heating product now in nearly 100,000 British homes, our business is a great example of the Internet of Things in action every day.’
Cisco’s head of business development at The British Innovation Gateway for Cisco UK & Ireland Tom Kneen, reveals that the technology company as a ‘strong focus’ on the Internet of Things globally, and sees the UK as playing a leading role.
‘By being involved in the Launchpad we hope to uncover emerging new talent that we can nurture and accelerate through a variety of the programmes that we already run in the UK.’
