“One to Win” Competition Offers £1 Million Prize to West Midlands Tech Start-Up

A new Dragons’ Den-inspired pitching competition, titled “One to Win,” is set to award a tech start-up from the West Midlands with a substantial £1 million prize.

The award will go to a business that judges deem to exhibit “game-changing innovation” and promising growth potential.

Claimed to be the largest single prize for any UK pitch competition, the event was launched today at London Tech Week by regional trade body TechWM. Applications open on July 1, with the competition and announcement of the winner scheduled for Birmingham Tech Week in October.

In addition to the main prize, the initiative will offer support to those who do not meet the entry criteria, including trade missions, investor connections, mentor access, workshops, and links to corporate innovation programs.

The competition is funded by The Rigby Group, investor Haatch, and the West Midlands Co-Invest Fund.

Steve Rigby, co-chief executive of The Rigby Group and son of its founder Sir Peter, added, “We are innovators and entrepreneurs by our very nature and nowhere is that more prevalent than here in our region. The technology sector in the West Midlands is one of the fastest-growing in the UK. It employs 76,000 people and is expected to boost the national economy by almost £3 billion in the coming years. Rigby Group is the largest private sector investor in technology in Europe.”

“As an organization, we have never forgotten our roots here in the Midlands and are proud to support the One to Win competition to find game-changing innovation and ambition. While the winning business will clearly benefit, the knock-on effect will create more jobs for the local community, increase our region’s economic activity and, importantly, shine a light on our home-grown tech talent.”