Start-up aiming to boost independence for elderly seeks funds

Caroline Laurenson, co-founder of TL Tech. Picture: contributed.

TL Tech, based in Inverurie, was debuted earlier this year by husband-and-wife team Thomas and Caroline Laurenson, and is set to pitch at New Start Scotland at the SEC in Glasgow later this month.

Budding entrepreneurs get five minutes to pitch a business idea to expert judges and the winner will receive £20,000 worth of prizes including a lump sum of £5,000.

TL Tech aims to provide “unobtrusive, affordable and accessible” smart home services to elderly people, their families and carers to allow people to live in their own homes with independence.

Caroline Laurenson said that the firm intends to “provide tailored smart home technology in people’s homes to allow them to interact with their families and the devices that they already have”.

She added: “Our system integrates seamlessly with traditional systems, it can be easily modified and upgraded as needs change and can all be monitored and controlled through a single interface.

“We are now looking for funding so we can do more testing and further develop our unique software platform, which controls the smart technology.

“It’s our plan to install the hardware in some homes free of charge, which would allow for more extensive user testing, and then use this information to further develop a more advanced software platform to enhance user functionality and data security.”

Ceri Rogers, managing director of New Start Scotland, said: “The 5k pitch competition has been set up to help businesses like TL Tech who have a great business idea but need assistance to get it off the ground. As well as the competition, the fantastic line-up of speakers, seminars, networking opportunities at New Start Scotland 2018 will give new businesses all the information and advice they need to move forward.”