Innovation shines as tech-focussed ventures win funding

Friday 20 September 2024

UN1TY, with its property portfolio environmental risk assessment platform, secured the top prize in the annual Guernsey Venture Challenge.

The Digital Greenhouse programme saw eight shortlisted businesses work with mentors from venture builders Blenheim Chalcot for six weeks before making their pitch for funding last night.

Pictured: The Guernsey Venture Challenge finalists. 

Businesses also addressed challenges and opportunities in healthcare, media, helping organising children’s lives, personal training, document security, scientific literature, and productivity.

UN1TY won £40,000, with second placed MAP Health Scooping £20,000 and third-placed Kloakify taking home £10,000 as they all look to scale up their business.

UN1TY’s Mike Ozanne said: “The level of talent here tonight and tthe entrepreneurs that we've got as part of this cohort have been phenomenal.

"It was an incredible privilege to win, and I'm just really, really grateful to the judges, to Blenhiem Chlacot for the support that they gave us over the last six weeks, because it really has helped us redefine what the proposition looks like and where we go in the future.”

Pictured: Mike Ozanne.

He said the Venture Challenge process really helped a business understand its target clients and how to value its proposition.

“We're lucky because we've got clients out there at the moment. But I think for those startups who aren't sure where to go, they just need to start to engage with entities like the Digital Greenhouse, get onto those startup programmes, because they really do help businesses evolve.”

The funding will help UN1TY scale ESG Calc and start to leverage opportunities like cloud services as well as work more on marketing efforts.

It has a target of hitting £1m. in recurring revenue in three years time.

Pictured: Andrew Melton, who with Claire Reach, make up Map Health.

Pictured: Kloakify's Jack Quick makes his pitch.