Local businesses win big in the HatTech Wolves Den

Local businesses were invited to come in and pitch in front of a panel made up of council and Equans representatives for funding worth £1,000, donated by Equans, and a year’s Silver Membership to HatTech Business Centre.

The aim of the event was to provide a platform for local businesses to showcase their brand and get the support from HatTech, with its facilities and onsite staff, and advice on growing their business from an established multi-national company like Equans.

The winner was The Bald Viking Beard Company and the runner up, the Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel.

The Bald Viking Beard Company is a local business run by Welwyn Garden City resident Callum Dee. He started the business in 2019, working from home, with a view to providing new and innovative grooming products for men with beards. Since then, his range of products has expanded.

The panel felt that The Bald Viking Beard Company had, "clearly identified the impact that £1,000 would have to support the growth of the business in the coming months, with appearances at various festivals and other events".

Winner Callum said, “I was honoured to be selected as the recipient of this grant. As a small business it’s something I can use to really help grow and expand my reach by getting The Bald Viking into bigger events and in front of more people. The hardest part of growing a business is being able to afford opportunities like marketing and large-scale events and the Equans Impact Fund is an incredible help. I’ve already attracted new customers with some of the advertising I’ve paid for using the grant and look forward to seeing how much more it can help me.”

Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel is a local business that runs 5-star luxury cat hotels.  Through successful franchising they have 25 hotels across the country and were pitching for a new element to their business.  Winning the silver membership at HatTech Business Centre will enable them to grow their business and provides a professional environment for meeting franchisees and other business partners.

“Our experience at Wolves Den Pitch was nothing short of phenomenal,” said Abi Purser, founder of Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotels. “It was an invaluable opportunity to showcase how a business born and bred in WGC has flourished into a leading UK brand. The experience was engaging and beneficial, and we were delighted by the feedback.”

Cllr Max Holloway, Leader of the Council and Executive Member, Economic Development and Climate Change, said:

“This excellent initiative from Equans, which we were delighted to collaborate on, showcases our strong commitment to supporting local businesses. The standard of all pitches was very high, but as well as having a clearly thought-out forward plan, Callum’s products are manufactured locally, with recyclable packaging, and natural/vegan ingredients.

“The panel were also impressed by the enthusiasm of Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel and I can see why its unique business model, its commitment to feline welfare, and the exceptional customer service that has made it a household name among pet lovers.”

To find out more about what HatTech Business Centre can offer small businesses, go to the HatTech website https://hattech.org.uk/