Henley students win funding for sustainable business ideas with just IMAGINE if...

MSc students Godfrey Dekera and Paula Garzon were named among three winners of the University of Reading’s just IMAGINE if…2026 business innovation competition, held at Henley Business School’s Greenlands campus on 23 and 24 September.

Godfrey won support for V-Vet, an AI-powered platform designed to help smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa reduce animal losses. Accessible via smartphone, the platform connects farmers with veterinary intelligence and advice to help them manage the health of their livestock.

Paula was selected for DUNA, a climate-smart luxury sleepwear brand that aims to create fair employment opportunities for women in vulnerable communities in Colombia. The business combines supportive salaries and employment with an approach designed to address the environmental impact of fast fashion through durable, long-lasting products.

The third winner was University of Reading Alumnus Arnav Collaco, who graduated with a BEng in Biomedical Engineering in 2006. He won for his business Abiliti, which is developing a device that collects data from walking aids during rehabilitation, providing gait analysis to give physiotherapists greater insight and support better outcomes for people managing long-term mobility conditions.

Each winner receives £5,000 in seed funding, as well as ongoing support from the University of Reading, Henley Business School and business mentors to help develop and scale their ideas.

Supporting ideas with global impact

just IMAGINE if… is the brainchild of Paul Lindley, Chancellor of the University of Reading. The competition supports early-stage business ideas with the potential to contribute towards one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

First hosted by the University in 2019, the competition returned for its fourth cycle during the University of Reading’s centenary year.

Current students and alumni were invited to submit business proposals, with ten ideas shortlisted for the final by an expert judging panel. Each finalist received mentoring from successful entrepreneurs, alongside professional skills coaching and training.

During the two-day final at Greenlands, the ten finalists presented their business plans to the judging panel and delivered a concise pitch to an invited business audience.

The event also featured insights from Amy Clarke, sustainable investment and finance expert at Tribe Impact Capital; Alex McPherson and Rosa Gamble from Ignition Law; Yasmina Siadatan, Henley-based business executive and winner of The Apprentice; and Felix Weaver, winner of just IMAGINE if…2024.

Reflecting on the finalists and their ideas, Paul Lindley said:

“Every one of our finalists has already imagined a better world because of their ideas.

I believe that our world can be richer in opportunity, in kindness and ideas and these are at the heart of just IMAGINE if... and the ideas that have been shared with us today.

It's the opportunity to take academic excellence and deliver change to people's lives and address the global challenges we face.”

Thank you to everyone involved in delivering this year’s competition, including event sponsor Hemani Ventures, corporate supporters Hogan Lovells Cadwalader and One Young World, and the finalists’ business mentors.