A new Manx tech start-up driven by AI has been included as a finalist in next month’s Department for Enterprise’s Digital Innovation Challenge.

‘Big Bower’ has been put together by island businessmen Martin Kaprockyj and Michael Fitzgerald, with the aim of the start-up being to ‘streamline’ the sales cycle for supplement-based products.

The AI platform looks to help turn a product idea into a fully developed and shelf-ready product - matched with the right manufacturer and ready to order under their own brand.

Talking about Big Bower, Martin said: ‘It is being created to help people that want to buy and sell, initially, supplement based products.

‘It takes a product idea and then creates a full product specification that is then passed over to a manufacturer.

‘The AI can actually advise and work with the person with the product idea right at the start.

‘It might ask them “why don't you use this bio degradable packaging option” or say “here's a factory that you can use to help with being more eco friendly”.

‘The aim is that the people with the product ideas are choosing the right routes and the right options to create those products right from the start of the process.’

Martin grew up in the Isle of Man and went to St Ninian’s High School, before studying IT at the University College Isle of Man.

He began a wellness brand ‘Body and Mind Botanicals’ eight years ago with his friend and current business partner Michael Fitzgerald.

The brand evolved, and the pair built a supplement factory to make products for other brands and people wanting to sell their own supplements.

‘With customers increasing, I thought about how we could streamline the sales cycle and I realised the start of the product journey is key,’ Martin added.

‘This is when I decided we would build an AI-driven marketplace, that will take a supplement product idea and produce a full product specification ready for a manufacturer to provide a quote.

‘Big Bower was born, with the name taking inspiration from the bird who collects all of the best things in the forest to create an attractive bower nest.

‘We started off with a small control group to get feedback as our first point of release, and that led to a really fantastic response. People love the idea of what we're trying to do and they enjoy the process.’

Big Bower has now been included as a finalist in the ‘clean tech’ section of this year’s Digital Innovation Challenge.

The competition is held yearly and aims to foster technological innovation and address specific challenges, with a focus on delivering positive impacts for both the Isle of Man and the participating innovators.

Talking about being involved in the finale, Martin said: ‘The Innovation Challenge is a fantastic competition to help progress innovation and showcase the island on a global scale.

‘The finale will take place on June 26 at the Comis Hotel, where we will present Big Bower to the judges and audience.

‘It would be a privilege to win, but just being part of the challenge is its own reward.’