

Terminal 2, Wharf Street, Victoria Quays, Sheffield. S2 5SY
Zinc: Northern Show & Tell
On October 1st 2018, 50 entrepreneurs from around the world joined Zinc’s second programme, with the shared ambition of building new, scalable, mission-led companies from scratch. Each of these entrepreneurs set out to create new products and services that could unlock new opportunities for people in places that have been hard hit by globalisation and automation.
Over the last six months, with the right mix of creativity, entrepreneurship, science, and technology, these 50 entrepreneurs have identified a problem area, begun to develop and test new approaches to tackling that problem, and put together a team that can bring their vision to life. They have been supported by more than 100 experts and 25 executive coaches.
On Tuesday, May 14th an event will be held to showcase 18 companies who have reached the Mission 2 Portfolio stage of this project, and all that the entrepreneurs have achieved.
Below is the full list of Zinc companies who’ll be in attendance. These companies represent a very diverse group of Founders: more than half of the companies have a female founder, 70% of the Founders are not British-born, and the average age of the Founders is 35 (ranging from 25 to 56).
Bellevie
Making the professional carer a sought-after job by developing a new employment network that is built around the carer, and offering a subscription-based service to self-funding customers.
Cadigan
Matching underemployed and unemployed people to better jobs through an AI-based service that maps interests, preferences and personalities to job characteristics.
Canary
Supporting blue collar workers who experience sexual harassment using a platform that makes it easy to share stories and take actions that can drive cultural change within the organisation.
CollectiveTech
Ending transportation poverty by developing shared-transport tech solutions for towns and villages that will unlock employment opportunities and improve access to healthcare and other services.
Etiq AI
Improving under-represented groups’ access to financial products, employment and justice by helping identify and mitigate bias in AI data & algorithms
Fifty50
Building resilience, purpose and support for men in their fifties through a new movement that offers physical and social activities.
Gamework
Unlocking career opportunities for video game players by matching their gaming skills and achievements with professional skills.
GET
Creating new employment opportunities for Muslim women by providing software engineering training and connections with employers.
Ketka
Unlocking new life opportunities for kids from all backgrounds, using an interactive audio-based storytelling app that helps develop imagination, creativity and literacy.
MAKE
Enabling young adults to create artwork that helps them develop their ability to recognise, label and express their emotions through a new digital ‘maker’ tool.
Mind Gym
Helping people gain control over their emotional wellbeing by providing them access to, better understanding of, and recommendations for the most effective tools.
Mobilise
Improving support for unpaid (non-professional) care-givers by offering support, information and services.
OptiMum
Giving all new parents the best start for their journey into parenthood by offering a personalised, evidence-based digital coach.
Plural
Making high street retail spaces attractive by helping any brand create and curate cultural experiences in-store.
Raafiki
Unlocking opportunities for a diverse and ambitious group of young people by professionalising the mentorship relationship through training, accreditation and tracking.
Sook
Using a digital fit-out to provide short term, flexible leases to retailers on UK high streets.
Studio X
Offering self-help and personal development content to people from lower socio-economic backgrounds by embedding psychological techniques into entertaining media formats, delivered through phones.
If one (or more) of these companies sparks and interest, please contact Lucinda Bower, Industrial Strategy Partnership Manager, via l.bower@sheffield.ac.uk to arrange a one-on-one meeting either on the 14th or 15th May.
Why attend?
- Funded opportunities to collaborate and embed social sciences research in socially-conscious enterprise
- Co-hosted with Zinc, the leading social science mission-led company builder
- One afternoon. 3 minutes per pitch, with one-on-one meetings available if an idea sparks interest
Who should attend?
- Everyone. PhDs to Professors.
- We are also inviting key local business leaders and policymakers
- All welcome, please encourage your networks to attend