Mindful Extracts announced as winner of Accelerate50 competition

Mindful Extracts, a retailer selling a range of award-winning CBD oils, organic supplements and natural bodycare products, will receive an acceleration package from Sussex Innovation worth £50,000 – including a free office for a whole year.

Founder Donal Bourke began to incorporate CBD and mindfulness meditation into his daily routine during his recovery from a life-threatening motorcycle accident in 2015. Frustrated by CBD brands that failed to deliver a holistic approach to wellbeing, he founded Mindful Extracts to offer both wellness products and informed mindfulness guidance.

Nigel Lambe, Chief Executive of Sussex Innovation, said: “Each of our six finalists - and many of the other businesses who applied to Accelerate50 – made a compelling case for why they deserved our support, and how we could help them to scale. It took something really special to earn the title of ‘Sussex Game-Changer’.

“We were impressed by the numbers behind Mindful Extract’s growth, but we were even more impressed by Donal’s story, vision and leadership. He has built a company that is not only successful, but has stayed true to its core values along the way; creating real social, environmental and economic impact.”

Mindful Extracts will now receive a high impact 12-month acceleration prize, which includes:

• A private office for one year, including all utility bills, high speed internet connection, free parking and an on-site concierge team.
• Monthly CEO coaching and networking to share challenges and insights with other scale-up directors and founders.
• A package of member benefits including discounts and special offers with local retail, hospitality and professional service partners.
• Strategic meetings with a senior member of the Sussex Innovation consultancy team to identify growth opportunities and build connections with potential customers, suppliers and partners.
• Consultancy and practical support to help deliver growth projects including market research, marketing and financial planning.

Donal Bourke, founder and CEO of Mindful Extracts, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be named the winner of Sussex Innovation’s Accelerate50 competition, especially given the incredibly strong and inspiring field of applicants. This has come at the perfect time for us. We’re about to enter a high-growth phase, expanding our network of retail stockists and building a much stronger online presence, so the support package will make a huge difference.

“The strategic mentorship will be particularly valuable in helping us navigate the changes ahead, and having first-rate office space and facilities will support our expanding team and attract the best talent. We’re so grateful to Sussex Innovation for believing in our mission and backing us at such a pivotal moment.”

In recognition of the extremely high standard of entries for Accelerate50, four other finalists have each been awarded a bespoke package of mentoring, consultancy and coaching, as well as space to grow their businesses. Continuing their journeys with Sussex Innovation are:

• Bodyrocket – a technology company building measurement tools for performance cyclists to get accurate aerodynamic feedback in real time.
• Prsnt – an instant gifting app to send and receive personalised gifts from high street brands with friends and loved ones.
• Unusual Technologies – a creative development agency designing and building immersive software experiences for sectors ranging from academia to arts and healthcare.
• Action Your Potential – a consultancy working with schools to help children and parents understand how the brain works, and improve their mental health, wellbeing and achievement.