Pet product entrepreneur Andrew Nowell, founder of PitPat, has been crowned ‘Internet of Things Founder of the Year’ at the inaugural BMW i UK Tech Founder Awards, coming out on top above the likes of TechSixtyFour, JCC Bowers and Limbic AI.

The awards, held at Bloomsbury Big Top in London, celebrated the outstanding entrepreneurial journeys of those who create, disrupt and innovate within the UK’s rapidly changing tech landscape.

Nowell created PitPat in 2014 following years working in a leading engineering consultancy within the wearables and smart home markets. He saw PitPat as the opportunity to combine his two biggest passions - dogs and technology - and PitPat is now the bestselling dog activity monitor in the UK.  

Of his win, Nowell comments: “I’m honoured to have been recognised alongside so many inspirational entrepreneurs within the tech scene. When we launched our first prototype in 2016 we didn’t know what the future held for us, but since then our product has helped to keep thousands of dogs happy and healthy. Our PitPat Pack together have achieved a staggering 1 billion minutes of activity.”

Whilst 50% of all start-ups are estimated to fail within the first two years of inception, the UK has continued to lead the way for funding activity in the European technology sector, according to figures revealed by Stripe, Tech.eu and Techstars last month.

Nowell continues: “We’re exceptionally proud to manufacture our product here in the UK and support local jobs. This award win and the success of PitPat as a product is proof that entrepreneurs can succeed in what is a very challenging market.”

Francesca James, founder of the BMW i UK Tech Founder Awards added: “As a first year Awards programme, we have been blown away by both the number and quality of applications from across a broad spectrum of niches. It is always an achievement in itself to be named a finalist in any Awards, perhaps more so within the thriving tech space. But special congratulations go to our winners.”

Winners were revealed in 13 other categories across the ceremony, hosted by The Gadget Show’s Georgie Barrat, from a range of tech industries, including AgTech, HealthTech and FinTech.

Pictured from left to right: Andrew Nowell (PitPat Founder), Georgie Barrat (The Gadget Show, hosted the awards), Michael Bateman (PitPat advisor).

https://www.pitpat.com/