Deadline extended – 14th June 2024!
We’ve had some cracking entries so far, but with so many great Bristol-based businesses still out there we wanted to make sure everyone who does want to enter has the opportunity to do so. With that in mind, we’ve given you all an extra 2-weeks to pull your entries together!
Startup at Boxworks 2024 – entries open now
Do you have a new business, or run a fledgling company finding its feet? One of the biggest steps for any new venture is finding a workspace. It’s a big investment that can sometimes put more pressure on you at a time when you need freedom and space to concentrate on your work.
For this year’s competition, Forward has teamed up with YTL Developments and Aerospace Bristol to launch Startup at Boxworks 2024 at its new home in Brabazon.
Studios are ideal for up to 6 people, include superfast fibre, all utilities and access to facilities at Aerospace Bristol too. Applications open Wednesday 1st May and close at midnight Friday 14th June to any business with a turnover of £150k or less.
What's the prize?
A 3-month tenancy in a studio or ‘box’ at Boxworks, completely free of charge.
Studios are 28sqm and are the ideal space for 6 people (8 at a squeeze). They’re unfurnished, super-insulated, come with superfast fibre, 24/7 access and benefit from access to Aerospace Bristol facilities too. They’re an ideal blank canvas.
What’s more, they’re rated for class E use, which means they can be used for anything for almost any type of business. Not just limited to office spaces, our boxes would also be ideal for retail, hospitality, salons, or even indoor sports and recreational activities.
How do I enter?
We want to hear about your business and how you think a studio space would help you grow. Maybe you simply need more space to help your ideas grow, room to get your team together in one place or perhaps being around other small businesses motivates you. Whatever the reason, we’d love to hear more about you and your business. You can either send us a written statement (up to 500 words), a presentation of no more than 10 slides or a video of no more than 2 minutes.
Things to include in your submission:
– The story of your business, how it started, what your goals are and what makes you different.
– Who’s in your team? What’s interesting or special about the people you work with?
– What is your plan for the next 12 months?
– How would your own private studio space benefit your business?
Send your entries to startup@forwardspace.co.uk with ‘SUAB24 entry’ in the subject line. Remember to also include your name and contact details in your submission too!
Eligibility
The competition is open to sole traders and small businesses with a turnover of £150k or less.
Longlisted entries will be contacted in early June and the shortlist will be announced later in the month. Shortlisted entries may be invited to provide more information upon the judges request.
Meet the judges
Seb Loyn, Director of Planning and Development, YTL Developments
Having trained in both Architecture and Planning, Seb has spent a career at some of the property industry’s most innovative developers.
Having started out at Urban Splash, he worked for Skanska and Studio Hive before joining YTL Developments in 2017. He now leads the team responsible for one of the most exciting regeneration projects in the country: transforming the historic former Filton Airfield into a thriving new neighbourhood for Bristol, known as Brabazon. He is also a Trustee of Design West, which champions quality design and placemaking across the south west.
Gavin Eddy, CEO, Forward
Gavin is the Founder and CEO of Forward a managed workspace company providing shared workspace to start-up and scale-up businesses. He is also the Founder and CEO of Coherent a prop-tech business which has developed software for managing workspace.
Gavin works closely with the University of Bath’s entrepreneurship programme and is a former Set Squared Business Mentor of the Year. He invests in early stage businesses and holds a number of Non-Executive Director positions in growing companies.
He claims he does not believe in good ideas, just good execution.
Sally Cordwell, CEO, Aerospace Bristol
Sally Cordwell is Chief Executive Officer at Aerospace Bristol, joining the museum in 2022.
Sally has significant experience of senior leadership roles in visitor attractions and culture venues in Bristol and the South West. This includes Interim Executive Director at Bristol Old Vic Theatre and Deputy CEO at SS Great Britain Trust.
Meet the 2023 winners
2023 saw some amazing entries from a truly diverse range of businesses from cutting edge STEM startups through to creative agencies. It was a very hard process to whittle down the entries, so much so that our judges awarded two prizes. Husebox and Loopin – two very different businesses at very different stages in their journeys – became our joint winners and moved into their studios in April 2023.
The full 2023 shortlist was:
– Dave and Jim want in
– Husebox
– Lighttrace
– Loopin