Creative students with their sights set on entrepreneurial careers developed apps which have reached the final of the Big Idea Challenge 2018.
Teams from Waltham Forest College, Leyton Sixth Form and Sir George Monoux College recently attended a business bootcamp at NatWest’s head office in Liverpool Street where they met with IT experts.
The winning idea will be announced in April and the team will be given support from Accelerator, London Metropolitan University’s specialist business incubator, to launch their app through a website.
Emanuela Raducan, Larisa Zamfir and Alexanter Koula from Waltham Forest College in Walthamstow developed a food app, which allows users to access meal plans based on the ingredients in their fridge.
Finalists Andreas Boruga, Bryan Guerroero and Jardell Whitley from Leyton Sixth Form.
Emanuela said: “We were very excited to be at the bootcamp day and present our idea in front of industry experts. We were supported on the day and very motivated to see what we can do with our idea.”
Jardell Whitley, Jardell Whitley, Andreas Boruga and Bryan Guerroero, from Leyton Sixth Form College in Essex Road came up with the idea of designing an app promoting sustainable clothing.
Jardell said: “It is aimed at young people and is designed to educate young people to learn about the world they live in and be more conscious of the environment. It feels empowering to know that our business idea has potential.”
Sir George Monoux College's team came up with the idea of ‘'Voice Activated Future', a removable piece of technology which can come in the form of a bracelet, phone case, or keychain and is operated by a safe word which is chosen by the user. Once the safe word is said, the technology will sound an alarm alerting nearby people that the user is in danger.
Finalists Asiya Warsame, Aisha Jazab and Everalda Lekaj from Sir George Monoux College.
Everalda Lekaj, who developed it with fellow students Aisha Jazab and Asiya Warsame, said: “Being part of the bootcamp day has been an amazing experience and has helped us to enhance our experience and abilities."
The Big Idea Challenge is run by Accelerator in partnership with NatWest, Microsoft, The Prince’s Trust, Lucidica, FullTilt Communications and The Barbican.
Toby Kress, Head of Accelerator at London Met, said: “The students are so enthusiastic and passionate. I can’t wait to see where they take their ideas.”
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