Venturefest South celebrates 10 years of inspiring innovation and business growth
From AI-powered tender writing and teenage tech entrepreneurs to advanced manufacturing and healthcare innovations, Venturefest South’s alumni demonstrate the power of giving great ideas a platform
A student-founded AI start-up that has secured £1.4 million in investment is among a growing number of innovators whose journeys highlight the impact of the South’s innovation ecosystem, as Venturefest South prepares to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
Founded by University of Southampton students Samuel Aaron and Jamie Horsnell, mytender.io is developing AI-powered technology to help businesses simplify the time-consuming process of preparing tenders. After showcasing the business at Venturefest South’s Festival of Innovation in 2024, the company went on to secure £250,000 in initial investment in 2025, followed by a further £1.4 million in 2026.
Its progress is the latest in a series of inspiring stories from businesses that have exhibited and pitched at Venturefest South’s Festival of Innovation over the past 10 years, demonstrating how ambitious ideas can develop into commercial opportunities, attract investment and deliver huge benefits for people, businesses and society.
As the not-for-profit innovation programme marks a decade of connecting entrepreneurs, investors, established businesses and research organisations, the achievements underline the importance of creating opportunities for innovators to showcase their ideas, build relationships and take their next steps towards growth.
The founders of mytender.io were the third consecutive participant in Southampton Science Park’s Catalyst programme to win an award at Venturefest South, following Labl.it in 2022 and BirthGlide in 2023. Its journey reflects the ambition behind the annual Festival of Innovation: to give emerging businesses a platform to raise their profile and connect with the wider innovation community.
Venturefest South Chair Ed Gould said:
“Venturefest South has always been about what happens when you bring ambitious people together and give them the opportunity to share their ideas, meet the right connections and discover what might be possible.
“Looking back over 10 years, it’s incredibly exciting to see how businesses that once showcased an early-stage idea at our Festival of Innovation have gone on to secure investment, win customers, develop new technologies and tackle some of society’s biggest challenges.
“From student entrepreneurs taking their first steps to established innovators scaling solutions with global potential, these stories show the strength and diversity of the South’s innovation community. We’re proud to have played a part in providing a platform for that ambition, and we’re looking forward to welcoming the next generation of innovators to our 10th anniversary festival.”
Across the region, former Venturefest South participants are demonstrating how ideas showcased at the festival can go on to make a difference:
Ace High Sports – a winning connection leads to £700,000
Christchurch-based games studio founder Mike Hawkyard delivered the opening keynote at Venturefest South in 2024 before returning as an exhibitor and speaker in 2025. During the festival’s programme, he met an investor who subsequently became part of the company’s funding journey. Ace High Sports has secured £700,000 in funding to help develop its debut sports-themed video game. https://www.acehighsports.com/
Renovos – advancing bone-healing technology
Based at Southampton Science Park, biotechnology company Renovos first exhibited at Venturefest South in 2017 and has returned several times as its technology progressed. Its lead spinal fusion product received US Food and Drug Administration Breakthrough Device Designation in January 2024, marking a significant milestone for its research-led approach to bone regeneration. www.renovos.co.uk
EarSwitch – putting healthcare innovation in the ear
EarSwitch first showcased its technology at Venturefest South in 2021, finishing runner-up in the Early Stage Innovator category. It returned in 2023 to win Innovator of the Year. The company is developing in-ear technologies for health monitoring and hands-free device control, and announced a £1.2 million investment in April 2024 to support further development and commercialisation. Latest development: https://www.earswitch.co.uk/the-gamers-earswitch
Labl.it – from Innovator of the Year to thousands of kitchens
The Southampton food-tech business won Venturefest South’s Innovator of the Year award in 2022. Its handheld label printer and cloud-based software help commercial kitchens manage food labelling and safety. By August 2026, its technology was supporting more than 3,500 kitchens across the UK, with a growing team and new headquarters at Southampton Science Park. https://labl.it/
Novatech – taking a prototype into Royal Navy training
Portsmouth-based technology business Novatech showcased a rigid-hulled inflatable boat simulator in Venturefest South’s Innovation Zone in 2019. Developed in collaboration with the Royal Navy and University of Portsmouth students, the prototype entered service with the Royal Naval Reserves by January 2020, supporting search-and-rescue training. This year, Novatech returns to Venturefest South with a different innovation to showcase: Direct2Desk, its end-to-end IT device lifecycle management solution. https://www.novatech.co.uk/
Venturefest South’s 10th anniversary Festival of Innovation takes place at Utilita Bowl, Southampton, on 18 November 2026, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, established businesses, researchers and innovation partners.
Under the theme “From first spark to full scale”, the event will celebrate a decade of innovation while creating fresh opportunities for the next generation of businesses to share ideas, develop connections and explore commercial possibilities.
The programme will feature Innovation Talks, a founder panel, live pitching and the Innovator Showcase, giving ambitious businesses opportunities to put their ideas in front of a wider audience and connect with the people who can help them progress.
Run by creative growth consultancy Carswell Gould, Venturefest South works with partners across the region to stimulate the innovation ecosystem, showcase local talent and help businesses access the resources, relationships and opportunities they need to grow.
As the programme enters its second decade, the successes of its former participants provide a powerful reminder that the next big idea could be among those taking the stage, pitching to an audience or exhibiting at this year’s festival.
