Supply Chain Innovator Mandeep Soor Wins Minerva PitchUp Competition

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 3 seconds

Tech

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Quick Read: Entrepreneur Mandeep Soor wins £3000 and business support for her supply-chain analysis startup, Bendi, at Venturefest WM 2024 in Birmingham. Bendi aims to revolutionise the apparel industry by ensuring ethical sourcing practices.

Entrepreneur Mandeep Soor secures £3000 and tailored business support for her supply-chain analysis startup, Bendi, at Venturefest WM 2024 in Birmingham. Bendi aims to revolutionise the apparel industry by leveraging technology to track and monitor supply chains, ensuring ethical sourcing and production practices.

Mandeep Soor emerged victorious in the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up contest, impressing a crowd of over 500 entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors with her business vision. Bendi's innovative approach to supply-chain analysis garnered widespread acclaim at the event, showcasing its potential to transform industry standards and promote ethical business practices.

Photo: Mandeep Soor, Photo Credit: WMCA

Venturefest WM 2024, held at the Eastside Rooms, provided a platform for entrepreneurs like Mandeep to connect with investors and support organisations, fostering growth and innovation in the West Midlands. With Bendi's win, Mandeep joins a prestigious list of past winners who have collectively attracted over £65 million in investments to the region.

Sponsored by NatWest Banking, the Minerva Birmingham Pitch Up competition offers a unique opportunity for startups to gain exposure and secure vital funding. Mandeep's success underscores the region's vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem and highlights the potential for innovative solutions to drive positive change in diverse industries.

Venturefest WM is a collaborative effort led by regional partners, including the West Midlands Combined Authority, Innovation Alliance WM, universities, and industry stakeholders. The event serves as a catalyst for economic growth and technological advancement, showcasing the region's commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

For more information about Venturefest WM 2024 and Mandeep Soor's winning startup, visit venturefestwm.co.uk.

What's new

CreaTech Frontiers Launch Unlocks £250K in Funding for West Midlands Creative Innovators

Creative SMEs in the West Midlands are being given a major boost with the launch of CreaTech Frontiers, a new innovation cluster that has opened applications for the first £250,000 round of grant funding.

The programme, which offers individual grants of up to £10,000, is designed to help freelancers and small creative businesses develop groundbreaking ideas at the intersection of creativity and technology. The funding forms part of a £7.2 million, five-year initiative led by a consortium of regional powerhouses including Birmingham City University (BCU), University of Birmingham, Coventry University, University of Warwick, and the Royal Shakespeare Company. It’s funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as part of the UK Research and Innovation's Creative Industries Cluster Programme.

Photo Credit: University of Warwick

Officially launched on April 29 at STEAMhouse, BCU’s innovation centre, CreaTech Frontiers marks the first time the West Midlands has received funding through this prestigious national scheme.

Professor Lamberto Coccioli, Director of CreaTech Frontiers, said:

“These early-stage grants will give creative entrepreneurs access not just to capital, but also to university-led research and resources that can turn ambitious ideas into reality. This is about unlocking cultural, social and economic value across the region.”

CreaTech Frontiers is aiming to ignite a wave of innovation in sectors like gaming, immersive tech, live performance, visual arts, and creative technologies. Successful applicants will also gain access to facilities across the five partner institutions, along with specialist academic support during the R&D phase.

Future plans include a second, larger round of grant funding, a pilot with Birmingham Opera Company, collaborative projects with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the formation of an apprenticeship working group to support skills development.

Rachel Davis, Director of Warwick Enterprise, said:

“Through this collaboration, we’re strengthening the region’s identity as a creative and tech innovation hub. With a shared focus on inclusion and sustainability, CreaTech Frontiers will ensure diverse voices are at the forefront of this growing ecosystem.”

The West Midlands Combined Authority is also backing the initiative, which it believes could contribute £65 million and create 1,500 jobs by 2030 within the regional creative and gaming economy.

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker added:

“Our region is full of bold, young thinkers pushing the boundaries of tech and creativity. CreaTech Frontiers connects these minds with the world-class research coming out of our universities, creating the conditions for global impact.”

Applications open Monday 2 June 2025.

Interested SMEs can register now

to be part of the next generation of CreaTech pioneers.

By Anushka Malhotra

2 May