Welsh AI app helping readers find hidden gems shortlisted for UK startup award

A Welsh-developed AI app that helps readers uncover hidden gems on bookshop shelves has been shortlisted for a major startup award.

Spines, a consumer technology startup based in Wales, was named a regional finalist in the UK StartUp Awards 2026, shortlisted in the Retail & E-Commerce StartUp of the Year category for the Wales region.

The AI-powered app is designed to help book lovers find stories that interest them amongst uncategorised shelves in charity shops.

Founded by Noel Lynagh, the business removes the need for manual searching or individual barcode scanning.

The inspiration came from Noel’s own experience of leaving charity shops empty-handed due to the difficulty of discovery.

Having previously built an AI tool to identify ingredients in home bars, he realised the same “point and identify” technology could solve the frustration of browsing wall-to-wall book spines.

Using the smartphone camera, the app identifies every title, highlighting the books worth purchasing based on personal taste, award history, and critical ratings.

Noel explained: “Charity shop shelves have always been full of great books — the problem was never supply, it was discovery.

“Spines fixes that. Point your phone at a shelf and know in seconds which books are worth grabbing. We think that’s a pretty powerful thing.

“Being recognised as a regional finalist is a testament to the journey so far, and we look forward to the regional final. We hope to see Spines go on to represent Wales at the national final at Ideas Fest in September 2026.”

The startup has already demonstrated significant momentum, with hundreds of users across iOS and Android, and a single organic Reddit post generating 79,000 views in its first week without paid promotion.

This early success has led to further accolades, with the StartUp awards nod following on from Spines being named a finalist for the Wales Business Awards 2026.

The UK StartUp Awards were launched to recognise the booming startup scene across the UK, which has accelerated significantly in recent years with around 832,000 new businesses registered in the UK in 2025.

Alongside Spines, over 900 businesses have been shortlisted for this year’s awards across ten nations and regions from 2,000 applicants.

These firms, all started in the last three years, have created nearly 5,000 new jobs and generate annual sales of over £150 million.

Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE, Co-founder, UK StartUp Awards, said: “New businesses are the driving force behind any thriving economy, generating employment, pioneering innovation, and contributing to prosperity right across the UK.

“This year’s finalists represent the very best of British entrepreneurial talent, spotting opportunities and, through dedication, skill, and resilience, building ventures that are making a real difference in their industries and communities.

“The standard of entries in 2026 has been exceptional, and every finalist should be enormously proud of what they have achieved. Regional winners will go on to represent their region at the national final at Ideas Fest in September, and that is a stage worthy of everything they have built.”

Regional winners at the StartUp Awards will go on to compete at the national final, held at Ideas Fest in September 2026.

For more information about Spines and to download the app, visit their site here.