Global entrepreneurs encouraged to relocate to Barnsley
Entrepreneurs from across the world looking to cash in on the growth of the Internet of Things are being encouraged to join a new support programme in Barnsley.
The IoT Tribe North will be a 12 week intensive programme for start-ups who are developing products for the Internet of Things, with the chance to pitch to potential investors and travel to South East Asia on a trade mission.
The Internet of Things covers any hardware or device connected to the internet, from smart fridges to heart monitoring devices.
Up to ten start-ups from across the globe will be hand-picked to join IoT Tribe North, which is backed by Innovate UK, Barnsley Council and Capital Enterprise, and is being launched on November 29.
The fledgling companies will be based at Barnsley’s Digital Media Centre, where they will be given intensive coaching in product development, market testing and investment readiness, as well as the opportunity to join trade missions to Europe and South East Asia. They will be supported by a project manager and an engineer in residence.
Across Europe the IoT Tribe has already helped 130 companies scale up from start-ups to successful businesses.
Tanya Suarez, CEO and founder of IoT Tribe, said: “Yorkshire has a strong engineering and manufacturing heritage and is seeing emerging digital specialisms, especially in Barnsley with the work going on at the Digital Media Centre, so we believe this is the perfect location for IoT Tribe North.
“We want to strengthen the ties between corporates and start-ups, helping both to find stronger positions in their markets and grow in a way they couldn’t without each other. Our mission is to get the start-ups to their first big enterprise sale and our corporates to their next big revenue generator.”
One product that has been developed with support from IoT Tribe is Moggie, a smart collar, which monitors cat activity and connects to a phone app.
Vasantharaj Bharathi, director at Swedish company Moggie, said: “IoT Tribe was instrumental in taking our ideas and helping us turn them in to reality.
“It is one of the very few accelerator programmes which focuses on the full market readiness for IoT start-ups including business need, target market analysis, manufacturing and go to market. Anyone with a great IoT idea should certainly apply to join the cohort in Barnsley.”
Tracey Johnson, Digital Media Centre project manager, said: “The programme will integrate Barnsley even more into the digital and innovation landscape and reinforce the Digital Media Centre as a destination for cross sector collaboration and Industry 4.0.
“Nurturing these companies also creates opportunities for more and better jobs for local people in the long run, and puts Barnsley on the national and international map as a hub for digital activity.”
