Our next Pitch Event for Angel Investors is on September 14th at the Bournemouth Carlton Hotel.
DBA members, High Net Worth (HNW), and Sophisticated Investors (SI) from our wider community who comply with our requirement to deliver serious investor interest for our presenting entrepreneurs will attend. Access to pitch decks, business plans, financial information and one-page summaries is available via our Pitch Portal.
If you are HNW or SI but not a member, please contact us to request access to the Pitch Portal.
Investors, please register now to attend the event
The pitches are as follows:
Market Sector: Converting Waste Wood into High-Value Products
Turning waste wood into permanent carbon removal, valuable products and renewable heat.
The company is building the UK’s largest biochar platform, transforming waste wood into three revenue streams: carbon removal credits, physical biochar and renewable heat.
The business has secured £1.8M in contracts, grants and a debt facility. Its first commercial site is fully financed and scheduled for commissioning in Q4, with capacity already sold for the next three years.
The directors are raising £500K to help scale the next four sites.
Market Sector: Software Solution for Phone-Free Classrooms
Helping schools control mobile phone use without taking students' phones away.
New government rules require strict mobile-use controls in schools, but existing solutions can be expensive, easily bypassed and unsuitable for some students with SEND or medical needs.
This software-only solution blocks distracting apps, websites and cameras while keeping essential and medical apps available. Fully functional, with patentable bypass-detection methods, live school trials have generated considerable interest.
Management is raising £600K to establish the product as a leading digital wellbeing solution for schools.
Market Sector: Making Uniforms More Affordable and Sustainable
Helping schools and businesses reduce uniform costs, waste and environmental impact.
Returning to DBA following an earlier investment round, the company is bringing a circular economy approach to uniforms across schools and businesses.
Families can save up to 75% on school uniform costs, while schools generate additional income and receive ESG reporting. The business already serves 300+ schools and is in discussions with four Local Authorities representing a further 2,000 schools, alongside four potential corporate partners.
Management is raising a £200K bridging round through an ASA, at a discount, ahead of the institutional launch expected in April 2027.
Market Sector: Preventing Injury and improving performance in Elite Sport
Smartphone technology helping elite sports teams improve performance and prevent injuries.
After 10 years of research into biomechanics and injury prevention, this company has developed a platform that extracts force, load and biomechanical data from smartphone video, without sensors, markers or lab analysis.
Coaches can access lab-grade performance insights in minutes, on the pitch and at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems. Customers already include England Rugby, the French Football Federation, English football clubs and a Formula 1 racing team.
Management is seeking £2M to target opportunities in US and European football.
Market Sector: AI Assessment Platform for Educators
Helping teachers mark work faster while giving schools better insight into pupil progress.
Teachers can upload typed or handwritten student work and have it marked in seconds, generating personalised feedback, identifying misconceptions and showing where pupils may need additional support.
Already supporting 5,000 students across 20 schools, results from one education campus include a reported 15% increase in pupil progress and a 22% narrowing of the attainment gap.
Management is seeking £300K to move from validation to scale and build an institutional-grade assessment solution.
Sponsor Update
George Clayson from our event sponsors, TC Group Business Advisors & Accountants, will be presenting some of the key financial risks facing start-ups and how financial due diligence can help identify and mitigate them.
