Wayra UK calls start-ups for the London 2020 programme

LONDON - Oct. 1, 2019 - PRLog -- Wayra UK – Telefónica's global innovation arm – calls start-ups and entrepreneurs to register for its London 2020 programme. Applications can be submitted online on Wayra's website (www.wayra.co.uk) from 3^rd October until 3^rd November.

After the application period finishes, Wayra will select 40 start-ups for the semi-finals, which will take place on 13^th November. 20 companies will then be selected for the finals on 20^th November, from which 10 start-ups will be chosen to join the next cohort, which will begin n February 2020. During the programme, all start-ups will be located into Wayra's office in Piccadilly, Central London.

According to Gary Stewart, the Director of Wayra UK, "Start-ups are looking for money, either via investment or via income, and we have proved we can do both pretty well. Our companies have raised $265m in investments but what really differentiates us is that our start-ups have also made $18m in revenue just from contracts with Telefónica". Wayra's UK 188 portfolio companies have a combined valuation of close to $1 billion and include start-ups such as ChargedUp, Pzizz, Quit Genius, Red Sift, Ori, Babytobody, Our Path, Century, YoyoWallet and Wefarm.

Devika Wood is the Head of Wayra's London programme. She is an entrepreneur whose start-up, Vida, has raised $6m from investors such as Hambro Perks, and she was recognised by Forbes 30 under 30 in 2018. Her mission is to support founders to scale up their start-ups by finding new sources of revenue and/or investment. Successful start-ups will be given access to Telefónica's global network, o2's local network and Wayra UK's partners, including Cisco, Novartis, Ferrovial, Hyundai, Bosch, Network Rail and the British Government via the GCHQ and NCSC.

WHAT: Wayra UK opens applications for the next London cohort.

WHO: Wayra UK, Telefónica's open innovation hub.

WHERE: https://www.wayra.co.uk/

WHEN: 3^rd October until 3^rd November.