Drone company flying high after finding business success with Elevator
Innovair fast-tracked to success after undertaking Elevator’s Accelerator Programme
An Aberdonian start-up company, specialising in the use of drones, has proven the sky is no longer the limit after securing three new contract wins thanks to a high-intensity business coaching programme from Elevator.
After participating in the 12-week long programme at Elevator’s £1 million Centre for Entrepreneurship in Aberdeen, Innovair was approached to undertake three large-scale projects, worth a six-figure sum and culminating in more than 100 man-hours, in just one week – a remarkable achievement for a company barely two years old.
Utilising the latest unmanned technology to provide land and hydrographical surveying, inspection and media services, Innovair has cemented its position as the ‘go-to’ professional partner for a variety of architectural, design, surveying and agricultural organisations across the city and beyond.
Joining the fifth cohort of the Accelerator programme in February 2017, alongside 14 other ‘Founders’, the company was challenged and guided through a trio of four week phases that taught them a variety of business skills such as goal setting, assumption validation, business modelling, prototyping, market focus, fundraising and investment strategies and how to pitch successfully for business.
The weekly Accelerator sessions were delivered by a team of experts, business leaders and mentors and helped provide the participants with an insight on how they can best establish their business or idea and help it grow.
In true testament to the quality and level of mentorship provided to Innovair, they had pitched and secured their new clients in just the second, ‘Traction’ phase of the programme. Priding themselves on ‘practising what they preach’ the team then dedicated itself to providing the best solutions to their clients whilst still juggling time commitments to participate in the Accelerator scheme.
“Being selected to join the Accelerator programme was the best thing to happen to us. By going back to basics and being taught to think outside the box about our business we learned a lot about ourselves and how best to refine and restructure our offering,” said Stuart Lawson, one of the co-founders of Innovair.
“We certainly didn’t expect our efforts to pay-off so quickly when we pitched to prospective clients. The feedback we received was overwhelming and winning the projects was such a huge achievement for us.
“We cannot thank Elevator and all our mentors enough for their support, knowledge and feedback. The sky is no longer the limit for us and with our unique offering and business we look forward to accomplishing many more great things.”
Jules Lancastle, Elevator's Accelerator Manager - Aberdeen, added: “Elevator’s Accelerator Programme is designed for ambitious, early stage business founders with highly innovative, technology enabled business ideas that show high growth potential. We challenge companies like Innovair to think about their business in a way that enables rapid scale to support their move into the fast lane.
“Seeing founders achieve bold revenue goals in such a short amount of time highlights the effectiveness of our accelerated support programme. We are delighted that the knowledge and insight Innovair have gained through their Elevator experience, will help them play a part in the future economic prosperity of the region; that is the prize we are all striving to win!”
Founders with technology enabled manufacturing or service businesses that have international, high growth potential, are encouraged to register their interest in the next Accelerator Cohorts for both Dundee and Aberdeen HERE
Back to all blogs