Doing good things with tech?

Then get your skates on and enter a contest recognising businesses just like yours.

Bournemouth-based Empact Ventures has joined forces with recruitment firm Hays to launch a nationwide competition to uncover the best emerging tech start-ups, and scale-ups, that enhance people’s lives through technology.

The ‘Super Connect for Good’ competition is aimed at showcasing tech businesses creating positive social change in any part of society including education, healthcare, local communities, public services and more.

It’s being held across eight regions in the UK and Ireland, including the South of England, with applications judged by an expert panel of regional professionals.

The winner for each region will go through to the national final.

The successful business will be announced at a virtual award ceremony on November 17 during Global Entrepreneurship Week UK.

The prize for the national winner is a 12 month subscription to Hays Rise, a recruitment solution for tech start-ups and scale-ups worth £30,000.

Other prizes include a Super Connect Membership with Empact Ventures, up to £10,000 of funding from the National Institute for Health Research, a mentoring session with a managing director at Microsoft and press coverage in Top Business Tech.

There will also be six industry winners in the areas of AI, EdTech, MedTech, HealthTech, SmartCities (including IoT, 5G and Intelligent Transport) and GovTech.

The three Dorset-based judges in the South of England regional final are Ian Woodgate, Smart Place Investment Specialist, BCP Council; Sally Pritchard, Proposition Lead, Ordnance Survey, and Martin Pardey, Director of Hays Technology.

Martin, pictured left, said: “We are proud to have partnered with numerous start-up and scale-ups in Dorset over the last few years by providing expert recruitment advice and support.

“We have previously been active in connecting those businesses to corporate, public sector and investment partners through our Super Connect pitch days.

“We now have a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of those South Coast businesses that are having a positive impact on the world through the Super Connect for Good competition.

“I’m certain that there are some Dorset-based start-ups/scale-ups out there that are in with a chance of progressing through the competition and winning one of the fantastic prizes.”

Kosta Mavroulakis, Founder & CEO of Empact Ventures, pictured right, added: “As a Dorset-based social business, we are delighted to continue working with Hays to build on our Super Connect Series events in Bournemouth and Poole events for tech startups and scale-ups.

“At a time when we are facing one of the biggest global challenges in recent memory, we both set out to launch our virtual Super Connect for Good 2020 competition as a national effort to uncover and support the best emerging tech startups across Dorset, the South and the rest of the UK and Ireland that are making a positive social impact through technology.”

If you are a tech start-up or scale-up owner and would like to enter the competition, please submit your application at www.superconnectforgood.com by 6pm on Wednesday September 30, 2020.

If you would like to attend the virtual final, please register at http://bit.ly/scforgoodfinal

For any enquiries about the competition, please contact [email protected]