Basingstoke-based startup Inventor Cat has been named a finalist ahead of the South East final of the StartUp Awards.
The UK StartUp Awards was launched to recognise the booming start-up scene across the UK which has accelerated over the last few years with over 900,000 new businesses founded in the UK in 2023, a 12% increase from the year before.
Over 900 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s UK StartUp Awards and the contribution of these firms - all of which were started in the last three years - is significant, having created nearly 6,000 new jobs since they were established and generating annual sales of £480 million.
Inventor Cat is dedicated to reducing the number of cats that suffer from periodontal disease. They use their knowledge in feline dentistry and behaviour to create a stress-free way of brushing cat’s teeth. Founded by Victor Carpio, the business has been nominated for the Retail & E-Commerce StartUp of the Year in the South East.
Victor Carpio, founder of Inventor Cat, said:
“This is such a special moment for me, I’ve worked so hard and for so long developing the Dental Wand, now that we are finally able to help thousands of cat owners it’s very special to be recognised by the UK StartUp Awards. Thank you for being awarded a finalist spot, it’s an honour to share the stage with other game-changing businesses.”
Supported nationally by ScoreApp, GS1 UK, Starling Bank, OVHcloud, GiftRound, Airwallex, the programme will celebrate the achievements of the amazing individuals who have turned an idea into an opportunity and taken the risk to launch a new product or service.
The cohort of finalists will be considered for the regional prizes by a panel of seasoned judges with experience founding or supporting entrepreneurial ventures. The winners from each region will then be invited to the first UK final taking place at Ideas Fest, the Glastonbury for Business festival in Tring, Hertfordshire on 12th September 2024.
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, the creator of the UK StartUp Awards, said:
“Start-up businesses are the lifeblood of any economy, being responsible for new jobs, innovation and wealth creation across the UK. All the finalists this year represent the best of those entrepreneurs who have spotted an opportunity and through their sheer hard work, talent and perseverance, have created amazing new businesses that are creating real impact in their sectors. Building on the success of previous years, we are now looking to identify the ‘best of the best’ with all the finalists who win their category in their region going on to represent their region at the first ever UK National StartUp Awards final later this year”.
The UK StartUp Awards was created in collaboration with the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, one of the most successful awards programmes in the UK. The UK StartUp Awards are running for the third year after launching in 2022.
This year’s regional UK StartUp Awards finalists can be found online at
EDITOR NOTES
New company data compiled from - https://www.informdirect.co.uk/company-formations-2022/
StartUp Awards
The UK StartUp Awards is a collaboration between the founders of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards; an established programme nationally receiving thousands applications annually.
The UK StartUp Awards will recognise the achievements of those amazing individuals who have had a great idea, spotted the opportunity and taken the risks to launch a new product or service.
After extending across the whole of the United Kingdom last year, the UK StartUp Awards will now host an awards for the winners of each 10 UK regions at a national final later in the year.
Inventor Cat and the Dental Wand
Inventor Cat are the creators of the Dental Wand, the cat-friendly way of brushing cat’s teeth.
The Dental Wand is a health toy that engages the cat’s instinctual behaviours to hunt and applies them to express the desired brushing actions that cat owners want.
It spreads enzymatic cat toothpaste across the buccal and lingual surfaces of cat’s teeth, disrupting the daily build-up of plaque.