Start-ups to look out for in Essex
Essex has long been a centre for innovation and entrepreneurship, with its dynamic business environment sparking a surge of start-ups gaining attention far beyond the county. From pioneering tech companies to eco-friendly lifestyle brands, Essex is rapidly becoming a launchpad for some of the UK’s most promising new ventures.
In this post, we highlight some of the start-ups making an impact in Essex, showcasing businesses that are fuelling local growth, setting trends, and reshaping industries.
Who are some of the start-ups in Essex to look out for?..
SOAP Music, Chelmsford
With of 20+ year careers in the digital and streaming space, Ian Greaves and Matt Allard set up SOAP Music in June 2024 to educate and empower artists to maximise the potential of streaming. Standing for Strategy, Optimisation, Audience and Performance, they offer streaming marketing and promotions across platforms from Spotify and Apple Music, to YouTube and SoundCloud. The team at SOAP Music collaborates with artists, managers and labels to gain a clear understanding of their goals, enabling them to craft and recommend a personalised strategy and plan, tailored to the artists unique needs. Some of the up-and-coming talent they have worked with include ‘The Darkness’, ‘Elhi’, ‘Bird’, and ‘Sydnie Christmas’.
ECOedge, Brentwood
With a mission to make homes healthier, ECOedge based in Brentwood have been engaging with Local Authorities, Housing Providers, landlords, and private tenants to accelerate the transition to healthy and sustainable homes. Founded in May 2023 to confront a challenge, ECOedge are aiming to empower its customers to take control of the health and environmental impact of the home, lowering their bills, improving comfort, and raise the energy efficiency. The goal for them is to build a future where energy-efficient homes are the norm, not the exception.
The Professional Football Club Ltd, Colchester
Founded in December 2023 by FA Youth Award and UEFA B Coach, Matt Redgrave, the purpose of the club is to offer players of all abilities the chance to learn how to play football at a professional level. Matt played for Colchester United from the age of 5 to 19, captaining every youth academy team and earning six consecutive Player of the Year awards. At 12, he secured a four-year contract with the club; by 14, he was competing with the under-18s, and by 15, he was training with the Colchester United First Team. The Professional Football Club now has 5 academies across Colchester, Southend, Norwich, Ipswich and Epping.
Swoperz UK Limited, Witham
Swoperz is a preloved marketplace targeted towards children aged 6 to 16, where they can swap clothes they no longer wear for a fresh new style. Founded during lockdown in February 2021 by best friends Charlie and Vicky who are parents to two young girls, they were inspired after seeing their children swapping their clothes with one another, sparking the idea for Swoperz. With a passion for helping children build positive and sustainable habits without compromising their individuality or settling for boring clothes, Swoperz is operated on a token system, creating a cashless and safe verified environment.
GMZ Talent Limited, Uttlesford
Established in December 2023, Simon Gomez, Founder, had over 20 years of talent and employer brand experience. Helping major organisations to build exceptional talent, the team offers a range of services to meet specific talent needs. Understanding that businesses and organisations are not only just filling roles but also building a robust, attractive and sustainable talent ecosystem to drive forward success, GMZ Talent have worked with a variety of brands including Domino’s, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and Wagamama – identifying opportunities for improvement across all
Donna Forte, Rayleigh
Following a battle with breast cancer, Founder, Caroline, saw a gap in the market to provide comfortable yet stylish and high-quality post-surgery garments for women undergoing similar procedures. With her years of experience working in the fashion industry, Caroline set up Donna Forte, which translates to ‘Strong Women’, back in March 2023. Before this, garments provided were very clinical as well as expensive. After discussions with specialist hospital, cancer patients and lingerie stockists, Caroline decided to create garments that are fashionable, comfortable and at a competitive price point. In October 2023, Caroline was awarded the Evening Standard People Choice award at the AXA Startup Angel Competition which was voted by the readers!
Cactus Renewable, Southend
Cactus Renewables Limited is a renewable energy company based in Southend, specialising in the design, installation and commissioning of Solar PV systems, Solar Thermal solutions and EV charging stations. With a passion for making the planet a healthier place to be – both now and in the future – Mark and Scott set up Cactus Renewables back in May 2023. The two friends (and now business partners) have created a clean, green and reliable company that intends on having a completely green fleet within the next 5 years.
Backing Essex Business are here to support your business – from support and advice to finance. Find out more about the support for businesses in the districts of Basildon, Braintree, Brentwood, Castlepoint, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping Forest, Harlow, Maldon, Rochford, Southend-On-Sea, Tendring, and Uttlesford.
We also have a range of fully funded workshops tailored to your needs, all the way from starting up to growing your business. See what’s coming by heading over to our events page!
