Clear Returns wins Tech All Stars 2014 Best Young European Startup

E-commerce retail software firm Clear Returns has won the Best Young European Startup award at the Tech All Stars 2014.

European Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes presented Clear Returns CEO Victoria Brock with the award at a ceremony held at the Founders Forum in London. 

Brock was among 400 applicants who competed for the opportunity to make the shortlist and pitch to a panel of judges on her company’s range of smart cloud-based solutions.

The judging panel included Accel Partners, Index Ventures, Balderton Capital, DFJ Esprit, Forward Partners, White Star Capital, Frontline Ventures, Silicon Valley Bank, EC1 Capital, Addidi and the CEO of MedTech Focus.

Glasgow-based Clear Returns was founded in 2012 and offers cloud-based software designed to increase profits for online multichannel retailers.  

Brock said: “It’s a critical time in the growth of our business and the competition has been invaluable in helping us get to the next stage in our startup journey.”

At the awards ceremony, Kroes said: “Europe has the talent. It needs founders like you to believe it. It’s you who can come up with the good ideas and shake it all up. Start forging tomorrow's economy. Create the jobs. Change the world. Because that’s what startups and entrepreneurs do.

“We don't need a Silicon Valley, we have our own – we have a few dozen ‘Valleys’ spread all over Europe, we have Startup Europe. We have so many ambitious young men and women who are innovative and creative. The app economy in Europe is booming like hell.”

Pitching alongside Brock was CEO Michael van der Jagt from Parx Plastics and CEO Haje Kamps from Triggertrap.

Van der Jagt said: “This is great recognition for our team and technology. We just launched after years of hard work and research, and to receive such support from the EU is simply amazing.”

Kamps added: “Being part of Tech All Stars was awesome. We’re opening up a new round of funding, and the exposure we received – not to mention the VCs we were pitching to – were a godsend.”

The three finalists were awarded €20,000 in Google Cloud Platform services, and access to Founders Forum.

Brock also won the Innovator of the Year award in the 2014 FDM Everywoman in Technology awards.