This week’s startup is Bristol-based Esoterix. Founded in 2012 the six-strong team at Esoterix are developing technology to deliver integrated transport to everyone who needs it.
1. What do you do?
We bring intelligence to mobility. People have always had to work out how they can use the transport network to make their journey. We turn that on its head and create the transport to deliver the journey the person wants to make, from using taxi-buses to deliver the first or last mile of the journey through to making the rail or bus part of that journey more affordable for someone with more flexibility about when they can travel.
2. What’s the most exciting thing about what you’re doing?
The potential to improve lives through more affordable and accessible transport, e.g. through access to employment, health services, or social events.
We are also very conscious of the climate emergency. Road transport accounts for one fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions. We are strong advocates of shared transport to help address this, congestion and air pollution.
3. What are you most proud of so far?
The dedication and bravery of the team we’ve built. We’ve walked the walk by trialling new transport services on the ground, many in the West of England.
4. What have you found most difficult about being a startup?
Managing the uncertainty over funding.
5. What would you do differently if you started now?
Speak to more companies, organisations and people in the local cluster. It’s easy to let that slip when the pressures of project work are high.
6. Where do you think you’ll be in 12 months’ time?
We expect to have raised investment on the back of our current work in rail, to have trebled the size of the team and to be talking to partners in the EU about taking our products to market there.
7. What tools/people/services/organisations from the cluster have helped you the most?
UWE (University of the West of England) has been a long term collaborator. The Future Space business innovation centre based at UWE has also been really helpful.
8. What’s the best thing about the Bristol & Bath tech cluster?
The openness and the energy. Lots of meet-ups and special interest groups.
9. Who will you be nominating for a SPARKie next year?
There is a lot happening at the moment but I’ve got companies in mind for ‘Best Startup’ and the ‘Hard Award.’
10. Where can we find out more about you?
On our website at https://esoterix.co.uk and @EsoterixSystems
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