Computing students reach final of start-up competition

Three students from the School of Computing have gone through to the final of the Business Start-up Journey (BSUJ) and will pitch their ideas at the Business Start-Up Journey showcase on Wednesday 4 April 2018.

The BSUJ is an inspirational programme which brings student business start-up ideas to life. Students attend talks and workshops on all aspects of business including financial, legal and marketing, as well as mentoring sessions, to help take their business ideas further.

Zain Arshad, a final year BSc Computer Science with a Year in Industry student, has developed an app idea called 'Shopping Buddy'. The Shopping Buddy App allows individuals to find other people to go shopping with and to share a taxi; it is especially useful for students when doing food shopping as they can share the cost of a taxi and save the hassle of carrying shopping home.

Zain said; 'The Business Start-Up Journey has been fun and inspiring. The great support offered throughout the journey has given me confidence and skills to take with me when I graduate.’

Asha Burathoki and Sybil Mayard, both MSc Computer Science students, together with MSc Management student Olcay Kilincci, have developed an app idea called TagNav to help students navigate around university life and socialise with other students. The idea is very personal to them as the concept stemmed from their own experiences as students who found it difficult go out and meet people, especially during the first few weeks of university.

The TagNav app has two main features Tag Along and Near Match. Students can tag along to nearby events (either on or off campus), or with Near Match, students have the opportunity to network with others who share similar interests. They believe this app would be a good start to help students connect with each other virtually at first and then meet up physically, which may appeal to this tech-savvy generation of students. They also hope it could reduce isolation and encourage a more active lifestyle.

Sybil Mayard said; 'We have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Business Start-Up Journey and are delighted to be presenting at the final pitching event.'

We wish all the students good luck for the final pitch at the Business Start-up Journey showcase.