Liverpool startup Izzy Melody targets growth with UKTI support

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has announced its support for Izzy Melody, the Liverpool startup driving its BabyBangle teether business with a new crowdfunding campaign.

Izzy Melody, which already counts retailers Mothercare and John Lewis among its UK suppliers, is working with UKTI on expanding its distribution and contacts overseas to countries such as Australia, Italy, China, Greece and South Africa.

Having launched a crowdfunding campaign earlier this month on business equity platform Crowdcube, the company’s founder and MD, Alissa Koopal, is now seeking to unlock further growth.

She commented: “The support from UKTI means we now have a structure and a support network behind us to strengthen and establish our exports in new markets – this crowdfunding campaign is the next stage of our growth, and I’m looking forward to speaking to potential investors about Izzy Melody’s exciting future.”

Alissa started the business as a sole trader in 2013, when she invented a range of baby products after the birth of her two daughters.

Clive Drinkwater, UKTI’s North West regional director, said the department is looking forward to helping Alissa grow the business by finding buyers in additional overseas markets.

He said: “Alissa has been working with UKTI to identify agents and distributors following enquiries from markets such as the USA, Canada and China for her baby bangles.

“We have seen that there is significant demand for Alissa’s product around the world, and I hope that she will be able to take advantage of those opportunities with the help of the investment sought under this scheme.”