Wincanton : Four start-ups selected to join Wincanton’s 2021 W2 Labs programme

Wincanton has chosen four finalists to take part in sprint three of its W² Labs programme.

W² Labs is fundamental to Wincanton's ambition to deliver truly innovative supply chain solutions. The programme, open to early-stage businesses and Wincanton's network of partners, allows entrants to pitch ideas and products that deliver efficiencies across modern, digitised supply chains.

Sprint three is focused on:

• 'Construction Logistics' - a vital area as the UK pushes ahead with major infrastructure projects as part of its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 'People' - which encourages ideas that benefit all areas of the supply chain.

The final four are:

• BuildStream
• Cloudleaf
• Noam
• ThriveMap

The finalists will now take part in an intense ten-week process to refine and adapt their business propositions under the guidance of senior Wincanton mentors.

BuildStream will develop its TRACK product. TRACK provides optimised supply chain delivery tracking, enabling construction professionals to monitor and manage multiple deliveries to site from different suppliers. Its mobile app consolidates large amounts of data and provides a real-time map view to present up-to-the-minute, digestible information.

Cloudleaf's digital visibility platform gives users real-time information for increased visibility of inventory, products, shipments and orders, with the aim of managing excursion and delivery expectations. The programme also presents real-time temperature, humidity and pressure information for goods that require specialist storage and transport conditions.

Noam's solution is a comprehensive systems thinking data platform, which leverages AI to generate forecasts, insights and trends from unstructured data sources. It intelligently extracts meaningful data into a dashboard to automate workflows and support trend analysis and resource planning.

ThriveMap, which was initially shortlisted in the 'People' category of Sprint two of W² Labs, is the final start-up taking part. Its product provides personalised pre-hire assessments for high-volume recruitment processes. It uses a combination of techniques, including virtual 'day in the life' experiences that simulate real-life working scenarios from the role in question, to ensure there's an effective fit between candidate and employer.

From a total of 87 applications for sprint three, eight presented at the virtual Pitch Day.

This is the third year that Wincanton has run W² Labs. The programme is organised in partnership with L Marks, the corporate innovation specialist and early-stage investor.

Wincanton has vast experience working alongside its construction and infrastructure partners. A prime example of this is its involvement as the official Tier 1 warehouse and transport service partner for EDF Energy's Hinkley Point C nuclear power station build.

Read more about W² Labs