Ash TV Identified As A Leading Start-up In Tech North Awards

Hull-based smart video advertiser Ash TV has been identified as one of the most promising tech start ups in northern England.

The annual awards by Tech North is a pitch competition which look to identify and showcase lesser-known, early stage start ups across the north of England.

Ash TV, www.ash.tv, was one of 10 winning finalists who made it through regional heats and then pitched their businesses in front of judges and a crowd of 300 at Manchester’s old Granada studio.

The Hull outfit, which are aiming to employee dozens in Hull next year, won plaudits for its auto-playing video advertising platform for mobile, where advertisers can target audiences by selecting their age, gender, location, interests and occupation.

Judge Karen Kerrigan, chief legal officer of the Seedrs equity crowdfunding platform, said:

“Video advertising is something I’m naturally sceptical about, but Ash.TV is addressing a flaw by optimising muted video. I think they’re going to go a long way.”

Ash TV’s CEO Ash Lewis, 20, a former Kelvin High School pupil from Hull, said:

“This award will give us an amazing opportunity to meet partners and investors – and to break through from the north to the south of England, too. That is really important to a company like ours which relies on partners in the media, marketing and advertising industries.

“Ash TV has grown in a quite structured way combining a clear brand-driven marketing campaign supported by a unique and totally robust technology platform. This is allowing us to expand in a rapid but sustainable fashion across the UK while also developing international partnerships as part of our long-term aims.”

Ash TV, launched in Hull this year, developed as a new business out of the old Flomigo branded start-up company which he and brother Andy Lewis established in the city in 2014.

The Tech North competition for tech and digital startups includes those working in artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) IoT, drones, health tech, education tech and games.

The prize for the 10 winning companies includes a stand at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference and exhibition in London in December, the TNW Conference in Amsterdam in May 2017, an investor pitch event at Bloomberg HQ, and access to subsidised Tech North delegations – such as to SXSW, the interactive media and culture festival held in Austin, Texas.

Non-profit TechNorth supports the growth of digital businesses across the region and in a recent survey highlighted the strength of the north’s digital economy, which it says is creating jobs at 10 times the rate of the region’s non-digital sectors.