SURGEON’S PASSION FOR GAMING HELPS HIM BUILD GLOBAL TRAINING BUSINESS

A trauma and orthopaedic surgeon found that his passion for gaming is helping him build a world-class medical training business.

Alexander Young found the best training he received was on-the-job, face-toface training from expert surgeons, however this wasn’t always convenient, repeatable and there was variation between training techniques and trainers.

His ambition was to build a training platform that could be accessed on demand and was fun to use.

Virti, based in Bristol and with offices in Texas, uses high-tech artificial intelligence, virtual reality and gamification training simulations to improve workforce performance.

The system, which has multiple patents, allows those using its training platform to make mistakes and learn from them in a safe environment with a focus on training essential workplace skills and practising difficult conversations.

According to reports, since its launch in 2018, Virti has raised a total of $13 million across two funding rounds of the business.

Virti was named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions in 2020, and the system is currently being used for physician training and patient education, including by the NHS.

Oxford University spin-out launches intelligent battery management system

Brill Power, the Oxford University spin-out, launched the first of what it says is a new class of ‘intelligent’ battery management systems which could revolutionise the performance of stationary energy storage systems to power our homes and businesses.

The company said its technology will increase battery life by up to 60 per cent, boosting storage capacity by up to 129 per cent, increasing systems uptime and drive down the lifetime operating costs for energy storage systems. Brill Power’s intelligent battery management system represents a shift forward for battery performance without reliance on advances in materials or cell chemistry.

Brill Power’s Chief Technology Officer, Damien Frost, said, “Our patented control concept ensures that every single joule of energy is used during every single discharge cycle. This means maximal performance, lifetime and reliability.”

Today’s giants started somewhere... and they started small. Facebook was founded in a college dorm room by Mark Zuckerberg and some Harvard pals. Apple was established in the garage of Steve Jobs’ parents’ home. The first Dyson left the production line in Chippenham – in this magazine’s circulation area.

By Pete Davison Business & Innovation Magazine Deputy Editor

Is the next Google, or Tesla, or McDonalds being developed in our region?

Obviously, we don’t know the answer to that question, and if we did we’d be scraping together every penny we could to invest.

But on a daily basis we come across –and write about – small companies that really inspire, surprise and delight us: from manufacturers in Gloucestershire and the Midlands, and the cool tech dudes in Bristol, to the brainboxes of science and mathematics in Oxfordshire and the food producers of the rural South West.

They are the businesses fulfilling needs or solving problems. They are those disruptive businesses that look set to shake up their sectors or industries. And they are the businesses attracting funding – private, commercial, or governmental.

We call them our small giants. Over the next six pages we’ve featured some of our favourites, featuring one from each of our regions, and listing nine more from each area. Look out for some of the businesses in our small giants list featured elsewhere in our magazine, or on our website.

And if you’re a small giant that’s not on our radar, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you, and who knows – you might be appearing in an edition of Business & Innovation magazine soon.

Coventry & Warwickshire

Vivarail’s battery trains take COP26 by storm

Vivarail designs and manufactures the UK's only battery and battery hybrid trains, able to provide unlimited emission–free travel off the wires.

It fits new technology to obsolete bodyshells – like retired London Underground trains.

Running a battery-powered train is not only good for the environment, but cheaper too – £1.37 per kilometre compared to £2.49 for diesel.

The Stratford-upon-Avon firm recently demonstrated its battery-powered trains at COP26 in Glasgow, taking conference delegates across the iconic Forth Bridge.

This summer the company secured a £1.5 million loan from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund Debt Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners.

The firm will use the finance boost to pursue new growth by relocating to a larger site, which will enable it to scale up operations. The firm is also expanding its workforce, with five jobs set to be created.

Gloucestershire

Biostart protects delivery vans with a thumbprint

Biostart is being touted as “the world’s most innovative anti-theft and driver identification solution”.

Vehicles all over the world are being stolen as a result of drivers leaving their keys in the ignition when delivering parcels.

Biostart Security, launched by the team behind Gloucester-based Protrack, has devised a solution: a device that will switch off the vehicle when the driver leaves it, renders the vehicle inoperable when the driver is not inside it, and allows the vehicle to be driven again only when the driver provides fingerprint recognition, similar to the unlocking feature on some phones.

Besides preventing vehicle theft, the innovation cuts down on fuel consumption. The technology can also be used to protect plant vehicles and prestige cars.

And it also works as a tracker, pinpointing the location of drivers and even measuring their speed and velocity – ideal for driver behaviour training.

South Glos & Bristol

Bristol University graduates complete 5,000 trials for the UK’s first women’s urinal

A Bristol University spin-out has completed trials for the UK’s first women’s urinal at British festivals including the Shambala Festival, Valley Fest and The Bristol Comedy Garden.

Five thousand women have now tested Peequal’s urinals, which are six times faster to use than conventional portable toilets and reduce carbon output by 98 per cent over more traditional solutions.

Peequal was founded by graduates Amber Probyn and Hazel McShane, who devised the concept while working at festivals and facing the dilemma of either standing in a toilet queue or having lunch during their break.

“We started thinking about the normalisation of long queues for women’s toilets, and the structural inequality that it represents,” says Amber.

Long toilet queues are also commercially bad news for large events, as time waiting in queues reduces time spent at food and merchandise stalls. Women may also be want to reduce their drink intake to avoid waiting in long toilet queues.

Peequal estimates that Reading Festival could generate an extra £1.5 million in sales if it were to deploy its faster, more convenient urinals.

Peequal’s growth has been part fuelled by a £15,000 grant from Bristol University’s New Enterprise Competition.

Thames Valley & Swindon

A pizza the action – twins turn lockdown start-up into six-figure business

Entrepreneurial twins Luke and Owen Buckmaster refused to let the coronavirus pandemic get in the way of plans to start their own business, Doughboys Pizza, which they’ve now grown into a six-figure brand in less than 12 months.

The business partners and twins from Maidenhead launched their independent business from their own home only a few weeks before the first national coronavirus lockdown, and despite the unfortunate start, they refused to let the pandemic stop their plans of taking a slice of the £4.9 billion UK pizza market.

With the entire country being told to stay at home, and restaurants having to temporarily close their doors, people were spending more time in the kitchen which led the twins to swiftly recognise the growing trend towards meal kits.

The twins created Doughboys Home Pizza Kits, which allows consumers to recreate restaurant-quality pizzas at home without the mess or hassle. In the space of a few months they’d attracted 10,000 followers on Instagram.

And as restrictions started to lift the twin’s primary trading activity, which involves supplying their award-winning pizza bases to a variety of hospitality venues, reached new heights and the team now supply to more than 200 businesses nationwide.

Nearly 12 months on since the twins quit their day jobs to start Doughboys Pizza, they’ve sold hundreds of thousands of pizzas to customers all around the UK and have generated more than £300,000 worth of sales.

Oxfordshire

Oxwash aims to clean up in laundry business

Fast-growing British green-tech start-up Oxwash has secured 320 new investors in a public crowdfunder to clean up the environmentally costly washing and dry cleaning sector.

The company, founded in 2018 by ex-NASA scientist and Forbes Europe’s 30 under 30 alumni, Dr Kyle Grant and Oxford engineer Tom de Wilton, secured £250,000 from five angel investors. They included Magnus Rausing (Tetra Pak), Kal Patel (ex-CEO of Best Buy) and Vala Capital, in addition to a quarter of a million from 318 public Crowdcube investors.

Oxwash uses water-saving ozone technology to sanitise fabrics at low temperatures achieving higher than medical-grade disinfection. It also uses biodegradable detergents and electric cargo bikes for a sustainable washing and hyperlocal zero-emission logistics footprint.

Re-engineering the cleaning process from the ground up, the UK’s first sustainable

Worcestershire & Hereford

Plinx makes building sites safer with helmet device

Malvern tech firm Plinx has won a major contract to supply 1,500 of its safety devices to the HS2 project.

The devices, which are mounted to work helmets, use wireless technology to monitor how close workmen are to each other.

When they get within two metres of each other the devices beep, vibrate and flash a proximity warning. on-demand laundry service has grown more than tenfold since the start of the pandemic.

Beyond its application as a Covid social distancing tool, the technology also prevents accidental collisions on site.

It also helps site managers monitor workflow and identify times and areas of greater worker density.

With the global “green cleaning” market set to reach US $11.6 billion by 2029, Oxwash believes there is a lot to win in purging and decarbonising the toxic laundry industry.

The UK industrial laundry sector processes approximately 743,651 tonnes of laundry a year alone. Just the water requirement alone uses the volume of Lake Windermere (360 billion litres) to clean our clothes at home.

Region Company Location CEO or MD Description

Fleet Electric Gloucester Richard Markey

OPS-BOX Cheltenham Hayley Parker and Richard Neale

Tubby Toms Gloucester Tom Hughes

Gloucestershire

Forthay Granola Dursley Deborah Lamplugh

The Wild Hare Group Gloucester Dominie Fearn

Wildlife World Tetbury Mark Pitman

Bristol / South Gloucestershire

The UK's first climate positive vehicle leasing service, planting 100 trees for every electric car leased and supporting environmental projects in the developing world.

Provides support services to SMEs and start-ups. Established during the pandemic, the company was named Best New Business Support Company 2021 at the UK Enterprise Awards.

Trainee chef Tom Hughes sold his handmade sauces and seasonings on market stalls before Harvey Nichols came calling. Now his hot sauces are supplied to 85 outlets and exported overseas.

Guests at Forthay Bed & Breakfast persuaded Deborah Lamplugh to market and sell the artisan granola she served them for breakfast. Forthay Granola has since picked up a Great Taste Award.

Launched the UK's first net zero carbon ready meal range. Meals are made with fresh, nutritious British-grown ingredients, and won the founders an audience with Prince Charles soon after launch.

This award-winning company sells wooden products from sustainable materials that encourages birds, hedgehogs, bees, butterflies and bugs to thrive. With a £5 million turnover, it exports to 20 countries.

Adaptavate Stonehouse Thomas Robinson Produces a low carbon replacement for plasterboard, which is energy-intensive to make and difficult to dispose of. Breathaboard is made of 60-70 per cent plant material.

Nutritionx Gloucester James Markey Sports nutrition brand, specialising in scientifically-formulated supplements to elite athletes to help professionals across multiple disciplines perform at their peak – including the Scottish Rugby squad.

In Touch With Health Cirencester Mike Sanders

Holland Cooper Cheltenham Jade Holland Cooper

The Real Olive Company Bristol Karin Andersson and Ben Flight

Matter Bristol Adam Root

Ecologi Bristol Elliott Coad, Lucy Jack, Alex Price

Bristol Braille Technology CIC Bristol Ed Rogers

Condense Reality Bristol Nick Fellingham

Science Creates Bristol Dr Harry Destecroix

KETS Quantum Security Bristol Chris Erven

Space Forge South Gloucestershire Joshua Western & Andrew Bacon

Payaca Bristol Matt Franklin

Kinherit Bristol Ben Mason

Elvinyl Bicester Jules Elvins

Oxfordshire

The company's award-winning flagship Flow Manager app is deployed across 70 NHS Trusts, processing more than 52 million NHS outpatients appointments annually..

From a small tweed skirt stall at the Badminton Horse Trials, Holland Cooper now dresses Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge among other VIP customers and has a new store in Cheltenham.

The company has introduced what it says are the first-ever chilled tapenades to be available in UK supermarkets. In December it smashed its £200,000 crowdfunding target, launched to scale up.

Developed a filtration system that prevents microfibres from washing machines getting into the sea. The start-up has secured a £150,000 investment from British Design Fund.

Plants trees and funds climate crisis solutions and has secured more than 144 per cent of its original Crowdcube crowdfunding target and raised more than £2.9 million from 1,340 investors.

This not-for-profit has invented the ‘Kindle for blind people’ – the world’s first commercialised multi-line Braille display, Canute 360, which allows blind people to read books, music, and graphs.

Wants to be the first UK company to enable brands to stream live events like sports games, music concerts and theatre productions inside the Metaverse. BT and Microsoft are showing an interest.

Launched in 2020, encompassing specialised incubator space, a £15 million investment fund and a big network of strategic partners to nurture science and engineering start-ups and spinouts.

This quantum computer company has secured a share of £9 million for its Quantum Data Centre of the Future project, funded by the UKRI (UK Research and Investment).

Explores the viability of manufacturing in space to lower its impact on the earth's environment. Bristol Private Equity Club, Virgin Galactic’s former CEO and Voyager Space Holdings CEO are also investors.

Job management software enabling home service businesses with professional quoting, invoicing and CRM. Bristol Private Equity Club has backed Payaca unlocking further investment from SyndicateRoom.

The UK’s first, and it says, only will platform designed to ensure that a person’s assets are recorded, beneficiaries are listed and, when the time comes, a person’s wishes are made real.

Online music marketplace where labels, artists and dealers can sell records, merchandise and memorabilia. Also helps new bands grow. A Creative Industries Council’s 100 Ones to Watch 2021.

Inulox Thame Josh Sauer Biotech start-up developing novel solutions to reducing sugar consumption. The company has won the backing of the Oxford Investment Opportunity Network Limited.

ProspectSoft Oxford Andrew Ardron A new type of Stock-Aware CRM designed for wholesale, distributor and manufacturing businesses that sell physical products. It integrates product, inventory and customer sales data.

Quantum Dice Oxford Dr Ramy Shelbaya University spin-out aims to use integrated photonics technology to develop the world’s first compact and continuously self-certifying quantum random number generator for encryption and cybersecurity.

iLof Oxford Mehak Mumtaz, Joana Paiva, Paula Sampaio

UJJI Oxford Ludmila Milla Rafael Guper

Easthouse Oxford Freddie Eastham

Using AI to build a cloud-based library of disease biomarkers, which could be used to drastically reduce the cost and time of drug discovery. The start-up was the winner of Microsoft’s Female Founders Competition, Deeptech category.

Game-based, self-coach app helping users overcome self-doubt and procrastination. Developed by a life coach and tech developer, backed by Oxford University Innovation Incubator.

One-stop-development-shop specifically for businesses in the EV, renewables and sustainability space, working in mobile, web, and IoT devlopment.

LabMedExpert Oxford Olukunle Akanbi Provides quality training to biomedical graduates, upskilling medical laboratory professionals. It has recently taken space at the The Oxford Trust’s Wood Centre for Innovation.

NAG (Numerical Algorithms Group) Oxford Adrian Tate Software and services company which provides methods for the solution of mathematical and statistical problems, and offers services to users of high performance computing systems.

This Great Adventure Oxford Alison Grey, Tim and Pete Gardom

Digital company collaborating with museums, cultural heritage organisations and creative businesses exploring new forms of physical-digital storytelling, including augmented, virtual and extended reality.

Region Company Location CEO or MD Description

Birtelli’s Leamington Spa Jim and Jag Biryah Secured £500,000 funding from Midlands Engine Investment Fund for its innovative homebaked pizza kit service.

Arc Vehicle Coventry Mark Truman

Coventry and Warwickshire

Medherant Coventry John Burt

Moasure Warwick Alan Rock

Salinity Solutions Coventry Professor Philip Davies, Tim Naughton

Dynamo Motor Company Coventry Brendan O’Toole

Skyfarer Coventry Elliot Parnham

Purple Planet Supplies Coventry Mark and Joanna Watson

Percuro Henley-inArden Denise Saber

Feraru Dynamics Coventry Andrei Feraru

Worcestershire and Hereford

The company behind the £90,000 Arc Vector, an advanced electric motorcycle together with an "Iron Man-style' helmet with heads-up display and bike leathers that vibrate to alert the wearer to hazards.

Clinical-stage company developing innovative treatments using its novel transdermal drug delivery technology, the TEPI Patch.

Measuring technology sensing position and movement in three dimensions. Uses inertial motion sensors and a proprietary algorithm to deliver a new way to measure via a smartphone app.

University of Birmingham spin-out wants to deploy its patented desalination technology to help drive the UK’s young lithium mining industry. Recently smashed its £400,000 crowdfunding target.

Manufactures the world's only 100 per cent electric London black cab. The Dynamo Taxi launched in 2019. A £2 million fundraising campaign to ramp up production secured £1.5 million in its first week.

Developing the UK’s first autonomous drone delivery network dedicated to the fast and direct delivery of vital, time-sensitive medical supplies, such as blood, vaccines and vital organs.

Manufactures award-winning hot and cold drink cups, takeout boxes and food containers made from renewable or recycled materials. More than 400 products, which can be recycled after use.

Established at the start of 2021 this company, which has developed a range of sustainable pet dog food, smashed through its Seedrs crowdfunding target this summer, securing £620,000.

Designs and manufactures non-intrusive wearable monitoring devices, enduring a proactive staff health management approach within the industry sectors that expose people to hazardous vibration.

Local e Sourced Hereford Hamish Light Established during lockdown, this company works with local suppliers to deliver food and drink, gifts, clothing and homeware to its customers.

Trek Campers Droitwich Spa Kim Walton

Astley Valley Worcester Tim Hayward

Pandemic staycations have proved a boon for this family business. It currently runs a fleet of four high-spec campers which are kitted out with everything holidaymakers need for a UK break.

One of the oldest vineyards in the UK, but under new ownership since 2017, the vineyard produces boutique wine – less than 10,000 bottles a year – which is now organic.

Payara Services Malvern Steve Millidge IT software company services customers including BMW, Hermes, and Rakuten Card. This year it received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise

Rack Collapse Prevention Redditch Craig Attwell

Hope and Story Worcester Betsy Vickery

Thames Valley and Swindon

This company’s Rhino safety system prevents pallet racks from collapsing – keeping warehouse workers safe and preventing product loss. The innovation is attracting interest across Europe.

Born in spring 2020 when Betsy Vickery struggled to find ethical, sustainable and British-made gifts on e-commerce platforms. Now, the online marketplace champions the best of British.

D-RisQ Malvern Nick Tudor Brings advanced automated software verification tools to security-critical systems developers. The technologies are used in autonomous systems including applications in air, nuclear and off-shore.

FloWide Malvern Vincent Borgraeve

GPS-style indoor tracking solution for the manufacturing shop floor. Manufacturer's organisation Make UK was so impressed that it has adopted the system at its Technology Hub in Birmingham.

Boulevard Worcester Dominic Portman Online tech and e-commerce start-up has raised £2.2 million seed funding. The company’s website is a hub for suppliers which are looking to grow their product sales online.

FreeAgent247. com Worcester

Novai Reading Aman Khan

Having disrupted the traditional estate agent model in Worcestershire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, FreeAgent247.com sells your house for free by charging the buyer the fees.

A disruptive British biotech start-up with an AI supported retinal biomarker for use in glaucoma and AMD clinical trials. Since its foundation in 2020 it has attracted £3.5 million in funding.

Milk & Tweed Chippenham Jake Jeffries Design agency on course to turn over £500,000 this year and has ambitions to reach £1 million turnover within three years.

BiJimini Spices Swindon Luke Craven A food-flavouring spice made from sustainable ground-up insects, it attracted £21,000 loan funding from SWIG Finance.

Ybrant Partners Reading Rajesh Prayaga This IT consulting firm built ACTIVA, a homegrown IT solution for firms in the HR and finance sectors after securing £250,000 from the Thames Valley Berkshire Expansion Loan Scheme.

Artelli42 Reading Ian Welburn, Alan Casey A leader in human behavioural emulation – an advanced form of chatbot that allows people to talk to a computer in everyday language and be understood.

Mass Media Advertising Reading Mass Lambresa A Digital Out Of Home agency which specialises in digital billboards and street furniture. Digital advertising, says the firm, is more eye-catching and better for the environment than paper posters

Recycling Technologies Swindon Adrian Griffiths Developed a process that turns low grade plastics – like crisp packets and plastic bags – back into a substance it calls Plaxx, which can then be used to create new plastics.

Toca Reading Toca Mat This company’s no-code apps and automation fabric enables organisations to rapidly build apps, overcome integration challenges, and streamline business processes.

Occuity Reading Dr Dan Daly Secured £2.85 million of investment to develop Indigo, which allows people with diabetes to monitor blood-sugar levels through a hand-held eye scanning device.

Ordo Newbury Fliss Berridge An open banking-enabled payments-as-a-service platform offering a variety of services to businesses of all sizes.