A group of tech entrepreneurs from the West Midlands have been given the chance to turn their business ideas into reality after winning a new competition.
The three concepts were crowned winners in the SuperTech Seeds initiative which was launched in June in a bid to fast-track new technologies.
They are Birmingham-based Nick Winder who is aiming to solve the recruitment crisis in the logistics sector and fintech product manager Julia Druck from Warwick who is creating a new way to manage and repay the UK's £54 billion credit card debt.
Sisters Sharon Byatt and Mandy Colledge from Halesowen, who lost their jobs during the pandemic, are looking to revolutionise the way businesses recruit IT professionals.
Two other concepts from outside the region completed the line-up of winners.
They are Bristol-based Ali Kazmi, who is developing an Islamic finance equity investment platform, and London duo Niall Brady and Gill Stewart who are helping leaseholders take over the management of their apartment blocks and control service charges.
The quintet of business ideas will now be taken through to development and launch, with funding provided by the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and Birmingham-based technology partner Million Labs.
The competition was run by business group SuperTech which was launched earlier this year to bring together professional services firms with digital companies across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands to see how technology can be integrated into everyday business activities.
Executive lead Hilary-Smyth-Allen said: "We've had an incredible response to our search for the best and brightest new technology ideas.
"The five finalists are aiming to tackle some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today.
"Through fully funded no-code technology development, we are helping these founders turn those innovative ideas into actual businesses.
"With the UK's largest concentration of technology, business, professional and financial services organisations outside London, the West Midlands is the perfect proving ground for new concepts.
"SuperTech aims to increase the adoption and development of new technologies in business and professional services and support for those with strong entrepreneurial ideas is a key part of that."
