A Historic Moment for UK Startups
In a landmark event for Britain’s tech ecosystem, Prime Minister David Cameron hosted the first-ever startup pitch competition at 10 Downing Street on July 31, 2014. The groundbreaking “Pitch 10” event brought together 10 high-growth tech companies, venture capitalists, and angel investors in the hallowed halls of British political power.
The Pioneering Startups
The select group of companies pitching included:
- Certivox
- Digital Shadows
- DueDil
- Huddle
- Kykloud
- LumeJet
- Mimecast
- ROLI
- Swiftkey
- Transferwise
These innovative firms represented the cream of UK’s fintech and cybersecurity sectors. Attendees received a comprehensive lookbook showcasing each company’s potential.
Government Meets Innovation
Against the historic backdrop of Number 10 - where portraits of past prime ministers and monarchs lined the walls - entrepreneurs presented their visions to key figures including:
- Ed Vaizey, Digital Minister
- Joanna Shields, Tech City UK Chair and PM’s Tech Advisor
A New Era for UK Tech
While Downing Street had hosted numerous tech receptions since 2010, this marked the first time startups delivered formal pitches in this prestigious setting. Organizers Jon Bradford and Eileen Burbidge envisioned this as the beginning of regular startup engagement with government.
Building Momentum
The event followed the successful “Pitch at Palace” initiative led by the Duke of York earlier that year, signaling growing establishment support for UK tech entrepreneurship.
An Accidental Boost
Interestingly, the event gained unexpected publicity when an email list leak prior to the event inadvertently created new startup networking groups - a happy accident that organizers embraced.
The Bigger Picture
This historic gathering represented a watershed moment for UK tech, demonstrating how technology entrepreneurship had become mainstream in British business and society - a remarkable shift from just five years prior.
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