The Search Is On To Find Yorkshire And The Humber’s Most Exciting Tech Start-Up

KPMG has started the search for the most exciting technology start-ups in Yorkshire and the Humber has begun, with the launch of the annual KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK competition.

Launched by the firm’s Private Enterprise practice the competition, which has been running since 2013, has uncovered many outstanding tech businesses across Yorkshire and the Humber, as well as the wider UK winners such as What3Words and Babylon Health.

Last year Harrogate-based iethico, which has developed a medicine sourcing solution to bridge the drug shortage gap, won the North East and Yorkshire regional heat of the competition and went on to represent the region in the UK final. In the 2022 competition, Hull-based HiiROC was crowned KPMG’s Tech Innovator in the UK winner and went on to win the global competition at Web Summit in Lisbon.

The competition is open to pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven businesses. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth plans to a panel of judges in the North East and Yorkshire regional heat. The winners of each regional stage will then go on to the national final to be held in London in July this year. The overall winner will then go on to represent the UK at the global Web Summit later in the year where a panel of judges will crown the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator winner.

Commenting on the competition, Phil Murden, Office Senior Partner at KPMG in Leeds, said:

“There are a fantastic range of innovative start-ups in the Yorkshire and the Humber region. This competition really helps to shine a light on their incredible technologies as we’ve seen through past North East and Yorkshire winners iethico and HiiROC.

“The competition is great at unearthing the region’s hidden gems and we look forward to supporting them in growing their businesses and providing access to vital networks and other founders. So, any founders looking to increase the profile of their tech business, do apply to become the next KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK winner.”

CEO Tim Davies from 2022 winners Hull-based HiiROC said:

“The global competition was exciting for the HiiROC team and provided a great opportunity to highlight our transformational new process for making low-cost, zero-emission hydrogen to a much wider audience, which included potential partners, suppliers, investors, advisors and policy makers. The competition was impressive, with some amazing businesses and inspiring leaders on board.”

Almost 400 aspiring tech giants applied to the competition last year, which was ultimately won by St Helens- based Inovus Medical for the technology they are using to provide a solution to the global surgeon shortage via their state-of-the-art digital surgery platform.

Applications are now open for the UK competition at https://kpmg.com/uk/en/home/services/private-enterprise/tech-innovator-in-the-uk.html

Previous KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK winners:

2023 - Inovus Medical

2022 - HiiROC

2021 - FIDO Tech

2020 - VividQ

2019 - Humming Bird Technologies (acquired by Agreena)

2018 - Echo (acquired by McKesson UK) 

2017 - Safe To Net

2016 - What 3 Words

2015 - RefMe (acquired by education company Chegg, Inc)

2014 - Babylon Health (acquired eMed Healthcare UK)