If there is someone you would like to add to the list, please email us directly. Please see our shortlist below!
Tina Poletto & Andrea Nicasso – Studey
Tina Poletto is an educational consultant, coach and university advisor and comes from Italy. Tina has co-founded Studey while she was studying at Oxford Brookes University. She has always been interested in the transition periods from high school to university. Indeed, she has organized several no-profit workshops and webinars. These have been enhanced by her expertise in Coaching and Positive Psychology.
Andrea Nicassio is the company’s managing director and he started his entrepreneurial journey by co-founding a non-profit organisation in Italy – Attic, a youth community, which promotes projects, ideas and events in the local area. While graduating from Oxford Brookes University, he bootstrapped Studey with Tina Poletto.
Studey supports international students in achieving their goal of studying in a university abroad (the UK or the Republic of Ireland). For many, studying abroad means opening up opportunities for a future international career. In addition, it represents the chance of getting out of the comfort zone, being independent and meeting people from different cultures. Nevertheless, in order to achieve this goal, there are several obstacles to overcome such as the application process, the English knowledge and the initial cultural shock.
Having experienced each and every step of studying abroad, the founders realised that more support was necessary. That is why they founded Studey. They support every student for a year or more and they make sure that the student is mentored in the choice of the course, accepted into a university abroad and is able to thrive in the new environment.
Samuel Maddock – Sustainable Urban Solutions Limited
Sustainable Urban Solutions Limited (SUS Consultants) is a sustainability consultancy delivering compliant low-energy buildings in the UK’s commercial building sector. Their goal is to establish sustainability requirements for new-build and refurbishment schemes working with architects, developers, engineers, landlords and property managers.
When Samuel started the Fuel Awards program in February 2021, he wanted to understand how to develop and scale his existing business model. At this point his company had been successfully trading for around 3 ½ years but the business development side had been put on hold whilst he focused on delivering the workload.
The 8-week program appealed to him as he wanted to scale the business, but didn’t have any knowledge on how to do it. The only thing he really knew was the service he was offering. The Fuel Awards program helped him to strip back and redevelop the foundations of the existing business model. It focused on all the key aspects that he hadn’t really considered before and helped him develop a strategy and set out the future goals of the business. One of the most beneficial components of the program was understanding the customer journey and the ‘wants and needs’ of the target audience.
Since completing the program he has gone on to successfully partner with another business and has started to implement all the different elements learnt during the program. They have significantly grown the client base and the service package offered.
Their future goals for the business include growing the team, developing new streams of revenue by improving the services offered and increasing investment in advertising and marketing, whilst strengthening customer relationships.
Fabio Embalo & Duray Pretorius – Viaduct Generation
Viaduct Generation is an independent SEO agency utilising the transformational power of SEO to support the online growth of underrepresented founders and allied businesses. It was founded by Fabio Embalo and Duray Pretorius after the murder of George Floyd to promote social equity and prosperity for underrepresented founders.
Viaduct Generation puts purpose over profit in everything that they do with the ultimate goal of Diversifying Digital spaces! As such they have official charity partners in Frontline aids, Camfed and Anti-Slavery International and dedicate 5% of all profits back to these fantastic organisations.
Since their inception they have been fortunate enough to win the people’s choice awards for both Fuel and Catalyst accelerator programmes at Oxford Brookes University. They have run workshops with D&I focused organisations including Amp Up your Voice, Wakuda and have plans to work alongside Jamii in 2022. Since leaving university, they have been able to invest thei full time and commitment into the business. They are proud to say that they have over 15 clients and have grown to a team of 12 people, opening offices in London Bridge.
It now feels like a whirlwind of opportunity, looking back on it they believe the most challenging aspect of the business is taking the first steps, surviving – focus on how to thrive later. The founders would encourage all students who are interested in starting a business to move one stop closer to starting than they were yesterday. Perfection is often the enemy of progress.
Chuggs Wallis – Booby Buckets
Chuggs Wallis is an Oxford Brooks graduate who founded Booby Buckets during the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020. Chuggs wanted to provide customised bucket hats for sports teams close to his home, and now has ambassadors all over the United Kingdom.
Booby Buckets is dedicated to providing customers with excellent services and products, using 100% natural cotton and embroidery experts with great experience. The company wants to guarantee that all customers are happy with both the products and the customer service they have received throughout the process.
The company has now worked with a range of sports clubs, businesses, schools and universities to create one of a kind products with alternatives to traditional designs which are made to order. They are also official Corporate Charity Partners with GCT who help to protect the Galapagos Islands.
Joshua Roche – Bulla Co
Since graduating from Oxford Brookes in 2018, Joshua Roche spent his time running student club nights in the city. However, when Covid hit, nightclubs closed and Joshua had plenty of time to think about founding his new venture – Bulla Co.
Bulla Co disrupts the influencing market by making its focus student micro-influencers. With smaller, more loyal followings, these micro-influencers form relationships with their followers built on trust. With a far higher engagement rate than ‘traditional’ influencers, micro-influencers are far more likely to have success when promoting a brand or product.
With a dedicated pool of over 5000 micro-influencers, in just a year Bulla Co have worked with brands such as Loop Money, Dominos, wagamama and Thursday Dating. Its cutting-edge technology uses an onboarding survey to match eager students to the most relevant brands, ensuring the most successful output for students and brands.
Joshua now has a London HQ and a team of eight behind the scenes at Bulla Co, with plenty more exciting brand partnerships up ahead!
If there is someone you would like to add to the list, please email us directly.
