Call for entrants to The Innovation Hive now open

ghd (the global leader in hair tools and subsidiary of the third largest beauty company in the world, Coty) and CW (Cambridge Wireless) have partnered to bring a new form of accelerator to the technology scene. Five chosen companies will be invited to spend three months from October 2018 working alongside ghd R&D, the CW community and local technology mentors to co-design a prototype connected hair styling device. The work will be funded and if intellectual property from the ghd Innovation Hive is taken to market, start-ups may negotiate commercial terms with ghd.

"Putting the capabilities of digital connectivity into the hands of users is the next step for beauty electronics and the best ideas always come from diverse, inclusive teams. By nurturing start-ups in the Innovation Hive and aligning their creativity and agility with the experience of the ghd product development team, we will be able to design advanced device prototypes in a shorter period of time".Tim Moore, VP Smart Devices, Coty (parent company of ghd)

Based in the Bradfield Centre, a Cambridge co-working space for scale-ups, the ghd Innovation Hive will offer a supportive and fast-paced environment for talented engineers, software developers and user experience designers. It will immerse participants in the user requirements of the beauty industry and involve experts from across the supply chain, from device designers to salon technicians.

https://www.cambridgewireless.co.uk/programmes/innovation-hive/