On Tuesday, the spotlight shone brightly at The Trampery Old Street, where The Backroom Pitch marked the finale of the Evo Fashion programme. An evening steeped in innovation and ingenuity, the event brought together 24 start-ups, each with a vision to transform the fashion industry. From trailblazing sustainability solutions to bold new technologies, the event was a celebration of purpose-driven entrepreneurship, showcasing the power of creativity and dedication in tackling the fashion industry’s most pressing issues.
As the final Evo Fashion event of the year, The Backroom Pitch not only concluded the programme but also represented the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our founders’ entrepreneurial journeys. For each start-up, it was an opportunity to gain invaluable insight into their business’s potential – insight that will shape the future of their ventures. The event also provided an opportunity to connect with investors, business advisers, and industry experts, all eager to engage with the next wave of breakthrough ideas.
Delivered in partnership with Evo Learning – a training subsidiary of The Trampery, as part of London & Partners’ Grow London Early Stage Programme funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Evo Fashion delivered an experiential programme for start-ups and early-stage businesses that took an holistic approach to business strategy, helping them drive economic growth while also integrating sustainability into every aspect of their businesses.
Designed to fit in with work commitments and delivered by experts, the programme consisted of a two-day intensive launchpad and four full-day masterclasses which focused on different aspects of learning, including environmental and social governance, opportunities for innovation, sustainable growth and investment, finance and business planning, and founder wellbeing, leadership and impactful teams. Peppered in amongst the sessions and masterclasses, there was tailored 1-2-1 mentoring, three peer-to-peer learning workshops, and the opportunity to showcase and pitch to investors, business advisors, and industry experts at this week’s Backroom Pitch.
Taking place across two spaces within The Trampery, the event saw founders pitch to carefully selected panels.
In the first room, start-ups pitched to experienced investors with knowledge on how to spot high-potential ventures. The focus was on investment readiness, with panellists offering constructive feedback that helped founders view their businesses through a financial lens. This was a key opportunity to pitch to seasoned investors and gain insights into how to attract funding and scale successfully.
Meanwhile, in the second room, a panel of five business advisers and industry experts offered a different kind of expertise. Here, the emphasis was on refining business models, improving pitch presentations, and assessing innovation strategies. The advisers provided actionable feedback that allowed each founder to refine their presentation skills, focusing on the strengths of their business and potential areas for improvement. This gave the start-ups the clarity they needed to take their ventures to the next stage.
Each pitch expressed creativity and innovation, with start-ups tackling sustainability challenges across an array of different areas, including:
After each pitch, panel members offered tailored feedback, asked thoughtful questions, and shared their expert advice. For the founders, it was a rare chance to showcase their businesses and receive feedback on their pitch, deck, innovation, business model, and more. Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed drinks and nibbles provided by INIS.
The highlight of the event was the opportunity for our startups to interact with an incredible panel of investors and advisers. The experts brought a wealth of experience and insight, helping each founder identify key areas for growth and development. A huge thank you to everyone who took part.
Marking the final event on the Evo Fashion calendar for 2024, this year has seen Fashion District and Evo Learning support 39 start-ups committed to making the fashion industry more sustainable, ethical, innovative, circular, and regenerative. We look forward to watching their next steps, offering support wherever we can, and we wish all Evo Fashion graduates continued success on their entrepreneurial journeys.
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