Lancashire companies make the finals of Virgin Media Business Voom 2016

Virgin Media Business VOOM 2016 is the UK and Ireland’s biggest pitch competition.

From more than 3,000 entries, the 158 firms with the most votes qualified for a marathon Pitchathon.

Now Samantha Jenkins is through with her Mother and Nature maternity wear company, and Vibe Tickets also impressed with its tickets marketplace.

Over half a million public votes were cast in the first stage of the contest.

From more than 3,000 entries, the firms with the most votes qualified for the Pitchathon.

The Grow and Start-Up businesses won over the judges at the Pitchathon.

They will now go on to take part in the next round of workshops in Birmingham on June 13 and 14, before six of them are selected to pitch at the Live Finale on 
June 28.

Lancaster-based Vibe Tickets was founded in 2013 by young entrepreneur, Luke Massie, who wanted to give real fans the chance to not only buy and sell tickets, but also make new, likeminded friends at the hottest events.

Luke felt that the current position of the secondary ticket market was flawed.

An alternative ‘peer-to-peer’ model, which allows real fans to communicate with one another and share tickets at face value was needed.

Single mum-of-one Samantha, 37, of Preston, launched her business because she felt there was “a big untapped clothing market for women who remain active throughout pregnancy.”

They will be competing for a share of a £1million prize pot.