Technology & SaaS 16.01.23

The Top 5 Tech Start-Ups To Watch In Manchester For 2023

The Manchester tech scene is absolutely thriving at the moment.

The Top 5 Tech Start-Ups To Watch In Manchester For 2023

The Manchester tech scene is absolutely thriving at the moment.

The city is producing a number of innovative (and hugely successful) start-ups, thanks to enormous talent pools, well-connected business ecosystems, and a shared passion for delivering groundbreaking ideas.

These start-ups are also rapidly emerging in several different industries, from hospitality to SaaS and sportswear.

Many of these businesses are pioneering new technologies and solutions that are transforming their sectors - and more importantly, they’re receiving the investment and funding they need to continue growing, developing, and executing successfully.

Let’s take a look at 5 of the most ambitious and exciting Manchester tech start-ups to keep your eye on in 2023.

1. Summize

Summize is a law-tech start-up that develops software which enables legal professionals to create, review, and manage contracts more effectively.

Producing lengthy contracts is a fundamental part of the legal profession, but it’s also a task that can be hugely time-consuming and monotonous. Summize transforms the contracting procedure by injecting AI-powered automation into the process, which helps to reduce pain points and improve efficiency.

The software offers a range of benefits for legal teams and businesses, including automatically flagging potential risks, streamlining workflows, and enabling teams to make more informed decisions.

Summize has tapped into a huge market through this law-tech software, and unsurprisingly, the business has already achieved considerable success. The company secured £5m of Series A funding in October and recently moved to a new office to facilitate increased growth.

Founder Tom Dunlop also took home the ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ award at the Business Brilliance Awards 2022, and Summize has worked alongside several established clients including Fujifilm, Moonpig, and Vodafone.

2. Prevayl

Prevayl is a sports-tech start-up that helps fitness enthusiasts to maximise performance through wearable technology.

By using the patented Prevayl Sensor, customers can analyse fitness data in order to optimise their routines and improve their results. The sensor processes 1,000 data points every second and conveniently fits into every garment in the Prevayl SmartWear collection for easy usage.

This sensor data is then processed in the Prevayl app and transformed into actionable insights that help users to understand their health, well-being, and fitness levels.

Prevayl has proven itself to be one of the most innovative and future-facing start-ups in the sportswear space, having secured £7.5m in seed investment (led by Stonebridge) in 2021.

The business saw a surge in popularity during COVID as interest in fitness skyrocketed, and its growth has only accelerated since then.

3. Wi-Q

Wi-Q creates intuitive mobile ordering and payment solutions for the hospitality industry, helping its clients to improve efficiency, increase productivity, and enhance guest experiences.

The start-up offers several market-leading hospitality products that enable businesses to facilitate easier payments, utilise valuable up-selling strategies, and simplify customer pre-ordering.

The hospitality and leisure industry is absolutely enormous, and Wi-Q’s advanced technology is incredibly useful for clients in this space. The start-up has successfully launched in 28 countries around the globe, and around 150k orders are processed every month through Wi-Q systems.

The company has won several industry awards for its services, including ‘Technology Innovation Of The Year’ at The Caterer’s Supplier Awards 2021. Wi-Q has also partnered with several large hospitality clients, including Stanford Hotels and Pandox.

4. Orka

Orka is a SaaS start-up that specialises in delivering tech-based solutions for shift workers and their employers.

The business aims to resolve common problems in the hourly-working space through smart technology and cutting-edge products. Several sub-brands fall under the Orka umbrella, and each is designed to address different challenges in the shift-working sector - for example, OrkaWorks connects qualified workers with businesses, while OrkaPay facilitates quick and reliable payments for employees.

Orka has attracted significant interest and investment since being founded in 2016, including securing £3m in funding from Praetura Ventures in March 2022. In October 2022, the start-up also partnered with Danish staff management platform Planday to manage payments for over 350,000 employees.

The co-founder and COO of Orka, James Doyle, has also acknowledged the role that Orka might play during the cost of living crisis. As more employees search for autonomy and

control over their finances, Orka’s work-tech solutions will undoubtedly grow in popularity.

5. GigPig

GigPig is a hospitality tech start-up that helps venues and establishments to book live musicians more easily. The platform is designed to support both venues and artists in the live music scene, simplifying the booking process and making it easier for talent to find opportunities to perform.

GigPig cuts out agency fees for artists, meaning they can take home 100% of their earnings - the software also offers a range of handy features such as gig reminders and automated invoicing.

When it comes to venues, GigPig provides a centralised system that makes the entire booking process infinitely easier. Businesses can use GigPig to discover new artists, manage their calendars, and streamline admin tasks.

GigPig already secured a seven-figure pre-seed funding round in June 2022, and the start-up is currently preparing for another round of seed investment. The platform is being utilised in over 100 bars, restaurants and clubs in Manchester, and the company has announced plans to launch in 10 more cities across the UK.

The Manchester tech start-up scene is one of the most exciting in the UK, with new businesses, ideas and products constantly surfacing.

As more and more of these ambitious start-ups receive critical funding from investors, they’ll be able to expand their offerings and accelerate their business growth. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these tech challengers and scale-ups!

Related insights

See all insights

Sign up to the Harmonic email newsletter