🚀 LaunchPad 2025 Ignites Slough’s Entrepreneurial Spirit
On 20th March 2025, Slough’s first-ever Start-Up Festival, LaunchPad 2025, brought together more than 100 entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and curious residents to celebrate innovation, community, and ambition. The event was hosted by Viva Slough in collaboration with Plus X Innovation and proudly supported by Slough Borough Council.
Held across two floors of the Plus X Innovation hub at The Future Works, the festival offered an immersive experience featuring 30+ start-up exhibitors, live demos, inspirational workshops, pitch competitions, and interactive networking spaces. A diverse set of startups emerged, each bringing fresh ideas and innovation to the forefront. From Judge’s Choice winner Organicco to People’s Choice winner Know Your Dosh, these trailblazing businesses are making waves. We also welcomed exciting newcomers, such as Impulsio, which was launched this week by Viktorija Kirpaciute.
The event was filled with inspiring initiatives, including Breathing in the Moment, and unique ventures such as Undisclosed DNA Ltd, Pokémon Store, and Style4Recruitment, each carving out its niche in the entrepreneurial landscape.
The creative sector shone brightly, with Treasure Box Tales Ltd (People’s Choice Runner-Up), Positive Piccolos, Sanchari House of Dance, Sophie & I, and RT Art Studio showcasing artistic brilliance and cultural innovation.
The event forms a key part of the Re-Imagine Slough initiative, which aims to spark an economic revival and empower residents to build a future-facing business culture in the town.
🏆 Celebrating the Winners – Best Start-Up in Slough
A major festival highlight was the Best Start-Up in Slough Competition, showcasing some of the town’s brightest business talent. Judged by a high-profile panel—Cllr Dexter Smith (Leader of the Council), Edward Rix (Product and Trading Manager, Tesco Mobile), Muddy Javed (Manager Slough BID), and Andre Arundell (The Berkshire Growth Hub)—the competition recognised exceptional ventures based on innovation, business model, community benefit, and scalability.
After careful deliberation and lively engagement with each venture, the Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Organico, a business dedicated to sustainability and transforming waste into valuable resources. Judges praised its innovation and environmental impact. The runners-up was Know Your Dosh, a personal finance and budgeting app
In the People’s Choice Awards, attendees cast hundreds of votes, selecting Know Your Dosh and Treasure Box Tales as their favourites—highlighting the resonance of relatable, creative, and tech-driven solutions among the public.
🎙️ Winner Quotes:
“We are incredibly proud to be named Slough’s Best Start-Up. Organico is built on a mission to turn waste into value—and to be recognised for that in our own community is an incredible honour. LaunchPad 2025 has given us visibility, belief, and valuable connections.”
– Organico Team
“We’re thrilled to have been a Judge’s runner-up and People’s Choice winner. Know Your Dosh is about helping people take control of their finances. Seeing how strongly that message resonated with the public and judges alike.”
– Varun Aggarwal, Founder of Know My Dosh
“We created Tales to give kids a platform for their imaginations—and LaunchPad gave us a platform for ours. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!”
– Treasure Box Tales Co-Founder
🎤 Empowering Through Education – Workshop Line-up
LaunchPad’s learning zone featured standing-room-only sessions that gave attendees practical tools and insider insights:
- “Taking the Fear out of Finance and Regulations”
Saira Majid ACMA CGMA – demystifying business compliance - “Marketing on a Shoestring”
Christabel Flaherty, Marketing Muse – smart, affordable ways to reach customers - “AI Growth Pathways for Start-Ups”
Chaitanya Kumar, Incepteo & Stratpilot.ai – tapping into automation and AI - “Mastering Fundraising”
Varun Aggarwal, Know Your Dosh – navigating early-stage capital
🤝 Acknowledging Our Sponsors and Enablers
LaunchPad 2025 would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors and partners who believe in Slough’s entrepreneurial future: Barclays Business, HSBC Innovation Banking, Metro Bank; Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Berkshire Growth Hub; Tesco Mobile, Marketing Muse, Tindal Technical Authoring
Special thanks also go to the mentors, investors, service providers, and volunteers who gave their time and expertise.
🎉 A Community United Around Enterprise
LaunchPad 2025 showcased not just the strength of Slough’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, but also the power of collaboration. With its inclusive programming, strong local partnerships, and ambitious spirit, the event marks a significant milestone in Slough’s journey to becoming a thriving start-up destination.
What They Said
“We want to create a launchpad for the next generation of business leaders in Slough,” said Vineet Vijh, Founder and Director of Viva Slough. “LaunchPad 2025 is just the beginning of a bigger movement to make Slough a national hub for entrepreneurship.”
“Plus X Innovation is proud to have co-hosted this milestone event for Slough. We believe in creating spaces where ideas flourish, and communities connect. Seeing so many ambitious founders and changemakers under one roof was a reminder of the incredible potential that lies right here in Slough.”
– Tanisha Latoya Davis, Co-Event Organiser, Plus X Innovation
“I was so impressed by the energy and quality of the start-ups,” commented Edward Rix of Tesco Mobile, one of the judges. “Slough clearly has a pipeline of incredible entrepreneurial talent.”
“Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in driving innovation and job creation. We are proud to support events like LaunchPad that shape Slough’s future,” added Cllr Dexter Smith, Leader of Slough Borough Council.
🌱 The Road Ahead – What’s Next for Slough’s Start-Up Movement
The energy of LaunchPad 2025 has created powerful momentum. Organisers Viva Slough and Plus X Innovation will shortly be announcing a comprehensive to support Start-ups in the town
“LaunchPad 2025 was more than a festival—it was the beginning of a new chapter for Slough,” said Shoba Resalayyan , Co-Event Coordinator from Viva Slough. “We’re building an ecosystem where innovation is celebrated, and local businesses are given every chance to thrive.”