On Monday 5 June, the University of Birmingham hosted an exciting pitch competition for founders as part of the UoB Elevate programme.
This Dragon’s Den-style event brought together ten passionate entrepreneurs who competed for prizes in two distinct categories: ‘My First Pitch’ and ‘Improve My Pitch’.
The competition aimed to provide a supportive platform where founders could gain valuable insights from successful entrepreneurs and experts, while refining their pitching skills. Let’s delve into the details of this remarkable event.
The UoB Elevate start-up incubator at The Exchange, which is home to 38 businesses, is a dedicated programme for start-up founders. The incubator opened its doors in 2021, and this pitch event was specifically designed for the most recent cohort who began their entrepreneurial journey in September 2022.
The ‘My First Pitch’ category provided an ideal opportunity for early-stage start-up founders to present their ideas for the first time. This category focused on building confidence, exposure, and real-time feedback. The panel of experienced judges, with their extensive entrepreneurial backgrounds, provided valuable insights, suggestions, and reflections to help participants identify areas of improvement.
The founders were able to gain confidence and refine their pitches in a safe and friendly environment. This category truly showcased the inclusive nature of the event, giving early-stage founders a chance to take part and receive expert guidance.
The ‘Improve My Pitch’ category was tailored for founders who had already pitched their ideas but were looking to enhance their presentation skills.
Participants in this category had the opportunity to receive constructive feedback from the judges, enabling them to refine their pitches and effectively communicate their business concepts.
This category catered to more experienced entrepreneurs who were seeking further refinement and polish in their pitching abilities. It demonstrated that the UoB Elevate programme is not only focused on nurturing early-stage founders but also committed to supporting founders at various stages of their entrepreneurial journey.
The event was introduced by Ana Madan, a member of the B-Enterprising Team.
The panel of judges consisted of four highly accomplished individuals, each bringing their diverse skills and extensive experience to the table. Two of the judges are alumni from the University of Birmingham, giving their support to help future talent at the university.
We are immensely grateful to these judges for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with the founders and hear about their innovative business ideas. The judging panel consisted of:
Greg Freeman | Founder of Data Literacy Academy
Miruna Chipara | Creator Fund Investor Associate
Ravi Ranjan | Award winning entrepreneur and founder of Voilo
Zubeda Limbada | Founder of Connect Future
The presence of these judges, with their diverse skills and backgrounds, ensured that the founders received comprehensive feedback, suggestions, and reflections on their pitches. Their collective expertise provided valuable insights for the participants to identify areas of improvement and refine their business concepts.
The Event and Winners:
During the competition, each founder had two minutes to present their pitch, followed by a five-minute Q&A session. The event placed the spotlight on the founders, offering them a platform to showcase their ideas and receive constructive feedback. Three outstanding winners emerged from the competition:
Dr. Aakash Rai – Meditask: Dr. Rai, Founder of Meditask, presented a digital platform connecting doctors with medical students in real-time. The platform facilitates clinical skills training and enables quick collaboration among doctors in hospital settings.
John Sewell – Cosimo.Art: John captivated the judges with Cosimo.Art, an innovative venture that merges technology and art to provide unique digital art experiences.
Louis Akaatenger – Maringo: Louis impressed the judges with Maringo, a start-up focusing on sustainable packaging solutions harnessing the power of emerging technologies including Web3 and Blockchain.
The panel of judges shared their insights and inspired the founders with their comments. Ravi Ranjan praised the diversity and quality of ideas presented, acknowledging the passion and dedication displayed by the participants. Greg Freeman highlighted the abundance of impressive spinouts from the University of Birmingham, while Zubeda Limbada commended the entrepreneurial minds in action.
Aakash Rai: I would like to thank the Elevate Team for giving me the opportunity to pitch to an expert panel and get their valuable feedback! I am honoured to be announced the winner of the competition and cannot wait to use the money to help with regulatory compliance. The next step for us is to implement within medical schools and NHS Hospitals so if anyone is interested, please do get in touch.
Ravi Ranjan: The event itself played a significant role in fostering an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. The supportive environment is instrumental in helping these aspiring entrepreneurs turn their visions into reality.
Looking Ahead, the UoB Elevate programme and The Exchange continue to be a hub for entrepreneurial growth and success. With the event marking a successful year for founders, the UoB Elevate team is now eagerly seeking the next cohort of talented entrepreneurs to join the program in September 2023.
University of Birmingham students and graduates with business development aspirations are encouraged to explore the support provided by B-Enterprising. Find out how you can apply by visiting the
UoB Elevate website.
Written by Ana Madan and Bob Lee
