Henley Greenshoots Seed Finance Award Scheme Ceremony 2023

Greenshoots is an initiative led by Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship, with the aim to nurture and support start-ups set up by current students or recent graduates of the University of Reading or Henley Business School. Start-ups that show the potential to grow and become sustainable businesses are awarded a £1,500 cash prize to help them reach the next level, with a further £1,500 award to the most outstanding entry.

For 2023, the following eight companies were chosen as the Greenshoots award winners:

- BloodMatch, a health-tech platform founded by Nor El Islam Messedad, which connects compatible blood donors with patients in need of a match.

- InvestorPro Academy, an online education platform and community founded by Brandon Bradford, which teaches beginner traders and investors about stocks, cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens.

- LetPlant, a proptech and biotech app founded by Tolu Abdulsalam, which a uses a remotely controlled smart planter system to allow customers to monitor and optimise the growth and health of their plants.

- LOJUTU, a software development company founded by John Ayodele, which has developed a financial literacy and wealth-building app called Realise that acts as a savings, investments and fundraising platform.

- Phytapanel Agriculture, a deployable indoor farm business founded by Korntawat Somwong, which uses a fan, a filtration panel and air quality sensors to grow microgreens.

- Pop Lids, a producer of reusable lids founded by Conor McNamara, which seeks to revolutionise disposable takeaway coffees by to reducing plastic waste.

- Prink, an event marketplace app founded by William Trevis, which aims to connect university students through a digital 'town square' of events in halls accommodation and across campus.

- Soluta Fintech, an alternative investment platform founded by Yasuki Matsuzaki and Romeo Lucarelli, which individuals and businesses can use to make environmentally sustainable financial decisions and manage their portfolios.

The awards will be presented at the Henley Greenshoots Seed Finance Award Scheme Ceremony, taking place on 27 June 2023 at 10:00am. The full schedule is outlined below:

10:00am - Welcome and Introduction (Jurek Sikorski)

10:10am - About Each Business and Spending the Award (All award recipients)

10:50am - Presentation of Awards (Santander Universities)

11:00am - Closing Remarks (Jurek Sikorski)

11:10am - Networking and Refreshments

12:00pm - Finish

The Henley Greenshoots Seed Finance Award Scheme Ceremony will be held in room G15 of the Henley Business School building, Whiteknights campus, with an option to dial in for those unable to attend in person. Attendees will be sent the link to dial in once they have signed up. Register to attend here.

Greenshoots is led by Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship and sponsored and supported by Santander Universities.