Hays calls for applicants to ‘tech for good’ start-up competition

8 Sep 2020

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The competition is looking for start-ups and scale-ups that are making a positive impact through technology in the areas of education, healthcare, communities and public services.

Recruitment firm Hays has announced that it is joining forces with Empact Ventures to launch a competition focusing on tech start-ups in the UK and Ireland.

The competition, Super Connect for Good, wants to uncover the best emerging start-ups and scale-ups that are making a positive impact on people’s lives through technology.

The programme will be open to any start-ups creating positive social change in parts of society including education, healthcare, local communities and public services.

Hays said that the competition will take place in eight regions in the UK and Ireland, with applications judged by an expert panel of regional experts, entrepreneurs, funders and professionals.

Prizes and partners

There will be 15 winners, including six regional winners, an overall national winner and six industry vertical winners in the sectors of AI, edtech, medtech, healthtech, smart cities and gov-tech.

The overall winner of the competition will be announced by Hays and Empact Ventures at a virtual final event on 17 November 2020, during Global Entrepreneurship Week. The top prize is a 12-month subscription to Hays Rise, which is a recruitment solution for tech start-ups and scale-ups, worth £30,000.

There will also be prizes provided by supporting partners, including Microsoft for Startups, Angels Den, Young Enterprise and Top Business Tech. According to Hays, these partners are providing £60,000 worth of prizes and funding of up to £10,000 from the UK’s National Institute for Health Research will be available.

James Hallahan, director of Hays IT and Hays Digital Technology, said: “We are looking forward to taking this opportunity to uncover start-ups and scale-ups across the country and highlight the social change and difference to people’s lives they make.

“Not only do we endeavour to showcase the work of these organisations, through the various prizes on offer we will be able to provide exceptional support and networking opportunities to help these organisations accelerate to the next stage of their growth.”

Applications will remain open here until 6pm on 30 September.

Kelly Earley was a journalist with Silicon Republic

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