BT launches competition for start-ups and small businesses

BT has launched a competition for start-ups and small businesses to find new innovations that will help the company’s UK customers to feel more connected to their family, friends and communities.

The competition, which will be run by BT’s Infinity Lab, will give start-ups and small businesses the opportunity to present their ideas in a Dragons’ Den-style pitch to a panel of the company’s experts.

Mentoring

BT are searching for entrants who can develop apps and services, such as connected devices, that people will be able to use at home, at work or when out and about.

The winners of the competition will be selected by BT’s product and technology executives, with those who are successful receiving mentoring from BT.

The winning company will also become a member of the TechHub entrepreneur community for six months, with the opportunity to learn from other innovators in the UK.

BT also said that businesses who present ideas that are good enough may have the chance to have them trialled in real-life scenarios.

Ambition

Commenting on the services that BT is looking for from entrants of the competition, BT Director of Broadband and Bundles David McDonald said: “Examples could be connected devices for different age groups, family safety apps, the linking of digital presence with the real world environment, and location information and services. They could include new ways of supporting or sharing life at home and on the go, or ideas to make the web more accessible.”

BT Infinity Lab Head Will Pryke said that BT wants to work with innovative companies and customers through market trials and that it is looking for companies that have an early-stage product and share its ambition to work with customers.