Silicon Fen start ups win places on Gauntlet CfEL programme
Five fledgling companies have won a place on the prestigious Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning's Summer School - the first milestone in ‘running the gauntlet 2006’, the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) said today.
The five companies were early entrants in the competition which is a partnership between EEDA, CREATE, an investor in East of England businesses run by Create Partners, and private equity researcher Library House. A £1m investment fund is on offer plus several learning opportunities. The companies selected, which include some from the Silicon Fen region, are:
Identity Protection Devices Ltd, Cambridge
IPDL is developing simple, easy to use products to help computer users protect their identity and manage online passwords more effectively.
Evoke Systems Ltd, Linton Cambridgeshire
Evoke Systems has developed the Electronic Flight Operations System - a communication, auditing and information management system that automates flight operations tasks, captures valuable data and improves the flow of critical information.
Hydrophilm Ltd, Stevenage, Hertfordshire
Hydrophilm’s main focus is the licensing of Selectacoat, a patented coating process, using inkjet technology to selectively apply clear scratch resistant coatings to items such as mobile phone windows, helmet visors, glasses etc.
EducoGym, Bedford
EducoGym claims it is introducing a totally new concept in personal training and body reshaping - the fastest way to get into shape humanly possible.
Reflective Enterprises, Watford, Hertfordshire
Reflective Enterprises is developing an innovative chair designed to calm and relax users to help them on their way to sleep and is intended to have universal appeal for babies through to adults. This entrant reached the final 50 stage in running the gauntlet 2005.
EEDA chairman Richard Ellis said that those winning the five places - worth £1000 each - "demonstrated a need for the learning opportunity on offer and a passion to succeed with their proposition.”
Summer school
The Summer School at The Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning, University of Cambridge takes place at the Judge Business School from 3rd to 8th July. Now in its eighth year and with an international reputation, it has been influential in the development of new business success stories such as Alphamosaic and Artimi.
Those ‘running the gauntlet 2006’ entrants who didn't score the free CfEL places still have access to other learning opportunities, including free access to The Gauntlet, the online virtual investor developed by Library House and the London School of Economics, a dedicated running the gauntlet helpdesk and a range of workshops, clinics and master classes delivered by sponsors Bailey Fisher- Executive Search, Grant Thornton, HSBC, Mudhut Communication, Scientific Generics, Taylor Vinters and The Commercialisation Company.
The entry deadline for running the gauntlet 2006 is midnight on 10 September. (See www.runningthegauntlet.com).
Thereafter a shortlist of 50 companies will be selected. They will get a range of one-to-one clinics and master classes before pitching to the running the gauntlet panel of investors, chaired jointly by Doug Richard of Library House and Boyd Mulvey, chief executive of CREATE.
Ten of the 50 companies will be identified to pursue discussions with CREATE and other investors subject to interest and the winners will be announced at EEDA’s business event on 14 November.
Pictured left to right at front are: Jez Heys of Hydrophilm; Brian Abram of IPDL
back row: Sophie King of Reflective Enterprises; Marcie Bell, project director of EEDA's running the gauntlet; Babu Shah of EducoGym; Shai Vyakarnam, CfEL director; Mike Powell of Evoke.
4th July 2006
