Five innovative Western Australian start-ups have been selected by the McGowan Government to showcase their ideas at this week's London Tech Week to grow their businesses to create WA jobs and attract global investors to the State.
The McGowan Government has provided $30,000 to the start-ups to enable them to represent Western Australia at Startup Catalyst's Mission at the London Tech Week from June 9-15, 2019.
The WA start-up executives heading to London this week are:
- Graeme Speak, CEO and founder of BankVault Pty Ltd, a financial technology and cyber security software company that secures your online activity from banking to Facebook via its invisible keyboard;
- Kym Atkins, one of the four female founders of The Volte, a peer-to-peer fashion lending marketplace;
- Elio Adragna, CEO and founder of JUGGLR, a digital platform that connects professional mothers with flexible work in their local area;
- Michael Le Page, CEO, co-founder and lead designer of Exodus Space Systems, a start-up company focused on solving the growing problem of space debris; and
- David Martin, Managing Director of Power Ledger, an energy trading start-up that uses blockchain technology as a platform to allow for the selling and buying of renewable energy.
London Tech Week is one of the world's largest technology conferences comprising more than 300 technology events and attracting more than 40,000 attendees from around the world.
London is home to more than 200 start-up accelerators and tech-hubs. It also has the highest investment rates in Europe.
Through the event, WA start-ups will gain exposure to the world's leading innovation entrepreneurs, investors, global business leaders and policy thinkers. Upon their return, the start-ups will share their learnings, experiences and connections with WA's start-up community and the State Government.
As stated by Science and Innovation and ICT Minister Dave Kelly:
"There is an exciting opportunity to leverage investment in WA start-ups by promoting our innovators on a global stage.
"Supporting start-up businesses will help grow Western Australia's jobs and diversify the State's economy.
"The McGowan Government went to the election with a commitment to utilise our existing trade relationships with the USA, UK and Europe to attract foreign investment in WA's start-up community. This program is one of the ways we are delivering on that commitment.
"Our London Trade Office will be assisting these five companies to make connections that we hope will see more investment in Western Australia's talented start-up sector."
