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12:27 PM 30th January 2020
business

Leeds IoT Firm Hark Crowned Yorkshire’s Leading Tech Scale-up

 
L-R Jordan Appelson and Mike Jeffs of Hark
L-R Jordan Appelson and Mike Jeffs of Hark
A Leeds scale-up has been named one of the North’s leading tech innovators after winning the regional heat of KPMG’s annual Best British Tech Pioneers competition.

Internet of Things solutions provider Hark saw off competition from 13 other northern tech start- and scale-ups after pitching its proposition to a panel of investors, entrepreneurs and business advisors at KPMG in Manchester. The business shares its win with Manchester-based gym management software developer Membr, which also impressed the judges during the heat.

Leaders from the two businesses will now head to London to pitch in the competition’s semi-final, aiming for a place at Mobile World Congress – the world’s largest annual mobile industry gathering – held in Barcelona next month, to compete to be named Best British Tech Pioneer 2020.

The competition is now in its seventh year and has been recognised for identifying and promoting some of the UK’s most disruptive young tech-centric businesses to an international audience. Former winners have raised hundreds of millions in funding by harnessing new technology to aid areas of the economy including agriculture, healthcare and social care.

Lizzie Smith, of KPMG Private Enterprise, said: “The North is brimming with ambitious entrepreneurs who are benefitting from an ever-improving ecosystem of private equity, research-led universities and world-class digital infrastructure. Hark is a fantastic example of how small but mighty tech businesses can make a positive impact and disrupt the sectors in which they operate. We wish them the best of luck in London as they compete for the prize of showcasing their business to tech titans and investors from across the globe.”

Jordan Appelson CEO of Hark, commented: “KPMG’s Best British Tech Pioneer is a renowned award that brings together some of the best start-ups in the country. The competition is a great opportunity to spread awareness around new innovative technology and for us in particular to gain exposure around our IoT platform. We are excited to be going through to the semi-finals and pitching our businesses to the next round of judges”