LettUs Grow, an innovative Bristol start-up tackling some of the world’s biggest agricultural sustainability challenges, is calling on locals for support as it competes for the People’s Choice Award at the prestigious Pitch@Palace final.

Supported by the SETsquared Bristol incubator, part of the global number one SETsquared Partnership, LettUs Grow develops integrated hardware, software and high-value research capabilities for use by the indoor farming industry using aeroponic systems backed up by patented software. The vertical farming tech business has already secured £1 million in funding and won SETsquared Bristol’s Tech-Xpo best pitch award, as well as ‘Best Tech Start-Up’ by Vodafone Techstarter awards. Winning the People’s Choice Award will give LettUs Grow an opportunity to secure the next round of investment to support its work in increasing food production, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste, ecosystem collapse and food security.

Founded by the Duke of York in 2014, Pitch@Palace helps entrepreneurs and early-stage businesses connect with potential supporters, including CEOs, influencers, investors, mentors and business partners.

The annual competition sees entrepreneurs from across the UK pitch at regional ‘Pitch@Palace On Tour’ events, with 42 winners going on to Pitch@Palace Boot Camp. From here, 12 winning entrepreneurs are selected by a panel of judges to deliver a three-minute pitch to an influential audience at St James’s Palace on 12 June 2019. The remaining 30 companies each get a 30-second slot to pitch.

New for 2019, the People’s Choice Award is an opportunity to showcase the entrepreneurs to a broader audience and for the public to learn more and vote for their favourite.

To vote for your favourite, visit the Pitch@Palace website. The winners of the People’s Choice award will also be announced at St James’s Palace on 12 June.

LettUs Grow is one of six SETsquared partnership entrepreneurs to win a place in the Pitch@Palace final, including: Biosystems, Buildsolar, OTA Water, Kelda Technology and TISICS.

Jack Farmer, Co-Founder of LettUs Grow, said: “Winning the People’s Choice Award would provide us with much-needed exposure to individuals who can help us scale-up and make an impact within our industry, solving the problem of resilient food production in the face of an unstable climate. SETsquared has really guided us throughout this whole process so we can’t thank the Partnership enough for supporting us in the lead up to the final round of the Pitch@Palace competition.”

The SETsquared Partnership is an award-winning and world-leading business incubator and start-up accelerator network which has supported more than 3,500 technology-based organisations through their lifecycle. As well as running seven of its own support programmes for members, SETsquared helps businesses identify other opportunities to access high-level support.

Monika Radclyffe, Centre Director at SETsquared Bristol, said: “LettUs Grow is making huge strides in overcoming sustainability, food production and efficiency issues in the agricultural industry, but they need your support to continue making an impact. Pitch@Palace is the ideal platform to get in front of high-profile individuals who can take their business to the next level, so this is a really exciting opportunity for Jack and the team. Get behind a budding Bristol business and cast your vote now!”

Winners of the Pitch@Palace competition will go on to compete in the global competition in December.

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