Ben Keeble
Mobiliaid
The 2022 Ingenuity Programme has come to a close and, after a final round of pitching to an expert panel, we have our winners. From Yorkshire and Humber to the South Coast, we saw some amazing ideas for impactful businesses than can change the way we live, and our 2022 National Finalists secured nearly £90,000 of funding to help them in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journeys.
Our 2022 winners received their awards at the National Ingenuity Showcase at the East Midlands Conference Centre, part of the University of Nottingham’s Power of Partnerships Conference on 17 June 2022. The showcase started with a keynote from local entrepreneur and investor, Alex Peace-Gadsby OBE, who spoke about the history and importance of social enterprise. She told the audience:
“Don’t ever fall for the illusion that social enterprise isn’t scalable and sustainable.”
Alongside our National and Regional Champions, we were delighted to be able to support Engineering students and graduates from the University of Nottingham through our ongoing partnership with the Engineers in Business Fellowship. The University of Nottingham match funded all three prizes, allowing us to maximise the impact of the EIBF partnership.
Mobiliaid
Ben Keeble, a Witty Entrepreneurial Scholar at the University of Nottingham, first took part in the Ingenuity Programme three years ago with the aim of developing something to help his grandfather with his mobility problems. Through the training and mentoring he has received, Ben has developed the Mobiliaid, a seat raiser product which makes it easier for older people to sit and stand. Having noticed the impact that a lack of socialisation can have on older people’s mental health, Ben wants to make it easier for those struggling with mobility issues to leave the house, giving them back their freedom and a sense of independence. Alongside the EIBF 1st prize, Ben received a £4,500 grant as one of three East Midlands Champions.
For further information about Mobiliaid please visit www.mobiliaid.co.uk
Cilo
Ryan Brown, who studied Architectural Engineering at the University of Nottingham, has developed Cilo with business partner Laurence Collingwood. Cilo is an app designed to empower positive climate action by allowing users to understand the carbon costs of the products their buy, track their carbon spending over time, and find low-effort ways to reduce it. The app provides a quick and easy way to add spending data and allow users to gain a full understanding of their climate impact. With gamified features, Ryan and Laurence have created an innovative and creative solution to help as many people as possible reduce their carbon footprint by as much as possible. Alongside the EIBF 2nd prize, Ryan received a £4,500 grant as one of three East Midlands Champions.
Find out more about Cilo by visiting www.cilo.uk.
Buddy
Ahmed Elamin is also a Witty Entrepreneurial Scholar at the University of Nottingham, taking part in Ingenuity in 2022 for the first time. Ahmed is currently developing Buddy, a mobile application that aims to create in-person conversations when they are needed most. The platform targets early-stage symptoms of isolation, anxiety and depression and provides additional information on alternative methods of support. A ‘serial entrepreneur of the future’, Ahmed is also working with two University of Nottingham students to launch Tayke in September 2022. Tayke is a scalable and impactful technology rental business for low-income students and local residents. Inspired by the ‘Library of Things’ model, Ahmed and his friends will be tackling digital exclusion and ensuring everyone in their local community can access cutting-edge technology.
“From buildings, infrastructure and transportation to innovative technology, as an architect or engineer our Faculty of Engineering students and graduates love to influence the world around them.
The competition funding provided by the Engineers in Business Fellowship enables us to support a small but significant group of students and graduates to reach their full potential, find solutions to shape business, society and make a real impact in the world. This year we have been able to match fund the EIBF prize pot, providing further business funding to our three winners.
We are incredibly proud of the role we have played in Ben, Ryan and Ahmed’s enterprise journeys and look forward to supporting them through this year’s Champions of Champions finals!”
Elizabeth Smith, Head of Ingenuity Programme, University of Nottingham
We would be delighted to continue to work with the Engineers in Business Fellowship to provide funding and opportunities for Engineering and Computer Science students from across Ingenuity’s network of 30+ UK universities.
The next programme cycle is launching in Autumn 2022 and will be in touch in due course with further information.
Thank you to all at EIBF for the invaluable support you provide to our students and graduates at the University of Nottingham.
