Demo Day: Spring 2019 Cohort

As autumn sinks its claws into the end of summer, BGV offered one last burst of spring. Around 150 people from the investor and wider tech for good community made their way to our 14th Demo Day to see our amazing Spring 2019 cohort present their progress and pitches to partners, friends, family, founders, investors and more. The excellent quality of start-ups in the cohort provides further evidence why London is now recognised as Europe’s tech for good capital. Moreover, as the first mover in this arena, we remain at the beating heart of Europe’s tech for good ecosystem with an unrivalled venture pipeline.

Super applications of #techforgood: from empowering construction workers on temporary contracts https://t.co/01bA8YKtdV & better vetting with a SafeguardMe passport... to combatting loneliness by those living with visual disfigurements @Ally_Alopecia. Well done all! #BGVS19 👏🏾👏🏼 pic.twitter.com/OynP9KFKJ5

— Gauri Kangai (@gaurikangai) September 10, 2019

Each of the cohort companies set up a small stand at the venue to chat to the guests and make connections. Perhaps the most creative use of this space was the zero-emissions courier platform, XeroE, who celebrated their launch by parking a cargo bike just outside the front door. An immersive education experience, courtesy of Musemio, was also a hit amongst attendees. What’s more, Jon and Phil of Safeguard-Me and Catapillr both had their profiles boosted by photos of their adorable kids, and a big bowl of sweets at their stands. Then it was time for the pitches. Two BGV alumni companies, LettUs Grow and Onaria, opened the speeches by presenting the recent progress they had made since the programme, and provide great examples of the longevity and scalability of BGV-backed companies. Indeed, over half of the 107 companies we’ve backed are still going, and many made an appearance on the night.The eight teams of our Spring 2019 cohort then followed each presenting their businesses, and showing the audience how much they achieved throughout the programme. To learn more about each of the Spring 2019 companies, check out the BGV blog, where you can catch the ‘Meet the Founders’ series, where you can see and hear the great people behind the spring 2019 ventures. Moreover, keep an eye on both our blog and social media presence to keep up-to-date with fresh content for the Autumn 2019 programme, which kicks off next week!

Harrison has swapped his drill to help construction workers find better work. https://t.co/iYwLaPiJm5 #bgvs19 #techforgood pic.twitter.com/FSDWvSUmCM

— Melanie Hayes (@MelanieHayes) September 9, 2019

We are confident that this year’s strong cohort of teams will continue to deliver on our mission. We have an excellent set of dedicated, dynamic founders who are experts in their focus areas. The ventures bring to life excellent ideas that look set to shake-up the way we learn, live, work, and find peace in this hectic world. What’s more, they reinforce the fact that purpose and profit are not just compatible, they are symbiotic.