It might be May already but here is my top 20 UK young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013 list. You might of expected this in January like all the others, but hey we do things differently here at YHP. That and the new website took a bit longer to come out than expected.
Anyways, enjoy:
James Pursey - Sorted
I start this young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013 list with James Pursey, co founder of Sorted, a marketplace for local tasks, in the first quarter of 2012 and has seen it already make significant progress in that short amount of time. James is a serial entrepreneur having previously started Student Hero & was also President of Fish on Toast Entrepreneurs Society at Southampton University.
2012 also saw Sorted inducted into Birmingham's Oxygen accelerator and I'm sure that will provide a good footing as they look to accelerate growth in 2013. James and his team certainly have the talent to make that happen.
Oliver Todd - CarHerd
The Yorkshire based entrepreneur Oliver, alongside co founder Mark Heptonstall, have done it, they've bought group buying to the car buying industry. It's a concept used in many different industries and it was only a matter of time. CarHerd groups individuals based on the car they want to buy and then negotiate better deals for them that they wouldn't be able to negotiate on their own.
Both have previously successfully started businesses together which will help them as they look to grow CarHerd, which looks to do well as user numbers grow and they can use the power of multiple buyers to negotiate great deals for users. Certainly two UK young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013.
Rytis Vitkauskas - YPlan
Rytis Vitkauskas, alongside Viktoras Jucikas, launched YPlan at the back end of last year which is already making a name for itself in London were they launched. With a great initial growth they are set to further grow their user base as word spreads and as they step up marketing activities.
YPlan is tonight's going out app. Spontaneously find activities or events to attend that evening. With 17 employees already, Rytis will surely be expecting to expand YPlan rapidly in 2013.
Ben Atkinson-Willes - Active Minds
Ben Atkinson-Willes founded Active Minds a social enterprise providing products for dementia sufferers. After seeing the lack lack of activities suitable for dementia sufferers first hand with his granddad he set out to change that. With that personal motivation Ben has successfully created a number of products.
And having got some big name clients such as the Alzheimer’s Society, NHS, and Bupa on board I'm sure 2013 will see them expand their distribution lines and gain further customers.
http://www.active-minds.co.uk/
Chris Bull - Selective Media
Chris founded Selective Media, a location based media company alongside co founder Jamie True. Chris previously worked for a UK advertising network which sold to Adknowledge and has a great deal of experience to learn from his co founder Jamie who previously floated two companies on the London Stock Exchange.
http://www.selectivemedia.com/
Steve Bartlett - Wallpark
Steve Bartlett dropped out of uni to see his dream of an online student community become a reality. The site brings together students and those who can help students, so that students have a community where they can buy & sell, find jobs or internships, find student deals and even accommodation. It's the only place for students to go. Steve has so far started it in Manchester and is looking to expand soon.
He's young but smart and regularly contributes to the Huffington Post. He also helped organise the most viewed student Harlem Shake. So he certainly knows how to get his name out there. Certainly one of our young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013.
Stu Jolley - Wingman
Stu Jolley is the next big thing in the male grooming market. After creating Wingman, foil packed deodorising wipes, he managed to get them into Boots stores across the UK. Not only has he created a useful product, he has created a brand! From the name, Wingman, to the man sized wipes, Stu is ensuring that men don't feel ashamed to carry these around. Oh and under the tutelage of King of Shaves founder Will King, I think he'll do alright. he easily makes it into one of my young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013 list.
Emily Brooke - BLAZE
Emily Brooke had the bright idea to come up with a device that would help cut cyclist deaths. The simple device shines an image of a bike a few feet ahead so that it can be seen by drivers, telling them there is a bike on their inside and they need to check their blind spot. Simple idea that can save lives.
Emily is a cyclist herself and passionate to see bikes across the world with these. With her main goal of saving lives she is sure to keep going and make this happen. The success will come I'm sure.
Nina Devani - Prompt me Nina
I don't remember what I was doing at age 14, but I certainly know I wasn't creating an app for the enterprise. But that's what Nina Devani is doing. At just 14 she has created a new and unique way to help you remember passwords without having to store them somewhere.
Nina has made a personal tool so far, but wishes to expand into the enterprise market soon and get IT to implement this in firms. that's why I think she's one of the young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013. If she makes this happen it could be huge.
Nick Holzherr - Whisk
The apprentice runner up, Nick Holzherr, had a great run to the final round but although he didn't win the chance to go into business with Sir Alan Sugar, he didn't give up and raised £170,000 funding for new startup Whisk. The past six months after the Apprentice has seen Nick grow Whisk to 5 team members but look out for Nick in 2013 as he looks set to let his entrepreneurial spirit flourish beyond that of a TV show.
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Adam Ewart - Sendmybag
Adam started the company after lugging his girlfriends plethora of bags from uni in oxford back home to Bangor, and found it was more hassle than it really should be. On the flight over to Northern Ireland, he sketched out the idea of a door to door bag delivery service. Simply book online, have it collected and meet it on the other side. Although he failed to get funding on dragon's Den, he persevered with his idea and raised around £100,000 form local angels. One to watch? I think so.
Matthew Stafford - Student Upstarts, Collider12
A simple concept, with the help of investor Nick Wheeler, Student Upstarts, helps students start a business with £15k in return for 8% equity. Matthew and his co-founder Christiam Jakenfelds then help these startups grow their businesses. he also has started Collider12, a 'B2Brand' accelerator for startups with tech that helps big brands sell more product. With these two projects I think Matthew will be one of the young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013.
Tobias van Amstel, Sebastiaan Schinkel, Sebastiaan Heijne - Signkick
Founded last year by these three founders, Signkick makes it easy to buy outdoor advertising space. They have certainly making noise around Tech City, demoing and winning awards at all sorts of events. They look set to have a bright future and dominate this part of the market. They're certainly out there trying to make a name for themselves.
Daniel Valdur Eha - Pure
Dan and his co founder Matt came up with the idea for high quality pet food, which retains the natural goodness during the cooking process, and launched earlier this year. With no one else concentrating on creating such high quality food for pets, they certainly have a chance to create a brand niche and dominate that market. They have a good background that will help in this area. Keep an eye on Dan for the future.
Raphaëlle Heaf - Artspotter
Artspotter is essentially a platform to connect users with the largest database of art events around the world. Raphaelle is based in London also working with another startup, but is still running Artspotter. Based in London's art scene of Shoreditch gives her a great base to build on and get feedback. She has great experience after previously working in many areas of an art gallery.
Victoria Arnold - Desk Union
Victoria started Desk Union to help startups find companies with excess desk space which they could rent out. The young founder left her full time job last September to take this global. yes, global. She has big ambitions and that will certainly her on her way to creating a successful business. She makes it into my young entrepreneurs to watch in 2013
Andrew Jervis - ClickMechanic
Along with Emily Brooke of Blaze, Andrew, alongside his co-founder Felix went through the Entrepreneur First programme to create ClickMechanic, which makes it easy to connect car owners and mobile mechanics and safely book at a time convenient for you. This is not Andy's first business either, he also started PieBoy Clothing whilst at uni, which has seen great success which contracts to supply 12 universities with their range of merchandise and an online auto parts business.
https://www.clickmechanic.com/
James Wood - PageHub
PageHub gives brands a simpler way of creating campaigns on Facebook and analysing the results of said campaign in real time. James took his experience of working at a marketing agency and noticed what little interest their was in measuring social analytics when measuring campaigns. Bootstrapping the business, James has already managed to build a profitable business and looks set to grow it as more and more companies try and get smarter with social marketing. His agency background will certainly help him too.
Howard Kingston - Future Ad Labs
Future ad labs is still yet to launch but I'm excited. CAPTCHA's are the bane of the internet & Howard & his team are looking to change that with PlayCaptcha, which makes CAPTCHA's into an interactive game.
They can also get brands involved to create engaging games which get their brand in front of potentially millions of users if this takes off. Howard has plenty of marketing experience and previously founded Startup Remarkable, helping startups & entrepreneurs grow with effective marketing. He has already won a few entrepreneurial awards and this venture might just get him a few more, but most importantly make the internet less frustrating.
Dan Taylor - The Giving Card
Another who has already won a few entrepreneur awards is Dan Taylor, the founder of Giving Card. An annual subscription to discounts at a range of retailers, but £10 of that subscription is donated to a charity of your choice. It's a great way of rewarding those who donate to charity by giving discounts from big brands in return. Dan's already seen his desire to do good recognised and it's this desire that will help him build a successful business.
http://www.thegivingcard.co.uk/
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