On the lookout for innovative startups

Advanced Engineering is on the hunt for ground-breaking startups to showcase their latest products and inventions as part of its Enabling Innovation Zone. The show, which is the largest annual engineering event in the UK, will take place on 4th-5th November at the NEC, Birmingham, and will allow smaller enterprises to accelerate their growth by making the right connections in the world of advanced manufacturing and technology.

Advanced Engineering is encouraging startups to apply for the chance to showcase their disruptive tech in the Enabling Innovation Zone, the event’s area dedicated to new and exciting businesses whose products and ideas could revolutionise sectors including mobility, propulsion, health, climate, or the speed and efficiency of advanced manufacturing.

The show will attract exhibitors and visitors from all engineering sectors, allowing startups to showcase their innovations to a broad and diverse range of decision makers. In fact, Advanced Engineering hosts multiple shows all under one roof, dedicated to different but parallel sectors of manufacturing, including aerospace, automotive, composites, performance metals, and connected manufacturing.

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to display their tech in the Enabling Innovation Zone, free of charge. They will receive a branded plinth, along with full digital marketing and PR support before, during and after the show, including space in the show’s catalogue, as well as on its website and social media. This will allow emerging companies to reach thousands of potential customers and network with leading industry players, top UK tech companies, and potential investment partners.

During the show, each startup will present their innovation to a panel of leaders from the engineering sector. The winner will be announced before the show’s closure and will be granted a full stand, free of charge, in the following year’s edition. 

“Advanced Engineering offers exciting innovative businesses the chance to be seen by thousands of visitors and to present their new products to many interested companies,” explained Gerald Law, Chief Executive at Innovation DB and one of last year’s judges. “For example, the winner of last year’s Innovation DB award dinner, who developed a novel engine part, sat with seven senior R&D execs from six major automotive companies and was able to demonstrate the company’s product to eight more as part of the event.”

Law’s words are echoed by Evangelos Zympeloudis, CEO of last year’s showcase and pitch winner, iCOMAT, a spin-out from the University of Bristol that developed a patented process to produce advanced carbon fibre composites for the aerospace, automotive and marine sectors.

“Advanced Engineering is certainly the go-to trade-show for composites in the UK and has provided visibility to our business, enabling us to engage with existing customers and partners, but also create new contacts,” explained Zympeloudis.

“The show was very productive for iCOMAT and enabled us to create several new links, some of which materialised into development projects. The Enabling Innovation Zone is an excellent initiative that gives the opportunity to engineering start-ups and spin-outs, such as iCOMAT, to showcase their technology to the ideal audience.”

Are you ready to showcase your innovative technology to the UK’s largest gathering of engineering professionals? You can apply here. The application deadline is July 31, 2020. Successful applicants will need to be at Advanced Engineering, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, 4th-5th November 2020.