INNOVATION
Young entrepreneurs get a kickstart in annual StartUp Sussex competition A manufacturing business for videogame controller accessories and an innovative personal security product to protect people from having their drinks spiked won their young creators prizes worth £10,000 each at the StartUp Sussex awards The annual enterprise programme, delivered by Sussex Innovation for students and recent graduates from the University of Sussex, reached its climax as the recipients of prizes worth a total of more than £37,000 were announced. Following two years where the grand finale was staged virtually, the finalists, family and friends, judges and mentors were able to come back together for a live awards ceremony and celebration, held at the Sussex Innovation Centre in Falmer on Thursday 24th March. The 2022 StartUp Sussex winner was f inal year B S c Marketing and Management student Julius Crutchley. His business GETTAGRIP aims to level the playing field within competitive gaming by providing gamers with affordable, high performance console controller accessories.
As well as earning the title of University of Sussex Entrepreneurs of the Year, the winners received a £10,000 prize consisting of a cash award and ongoing m e m b e r s h i p, c o n s u l t a n c y a n d marketing from Sussex Innovation. The StartUp Sussex prize is underwritten by the University, while the Social Impact Prize is funded by a generous private donation from a Sussex alumnus. “When I was announced as a winner, the overriding feeling was relief!” said Julius Crutchley, founder of GETTAGRIP, “I’ve
spent the last six months developing relationships with manufacturers and mentors, and don’t want to lose the momentum I’ve built. Now I have the funds to kickstart the business and begin prototyping and testing our products to get the ball rolling. My most important takeaway from StartUp Sussex is that the harder you work, the more people want to help you succeed.” “There were so many great start-ups that will have a positive social impact, that when they announced the winner I just couldn’t believe it,” said Jazmine Tiley, founder of Protective Bubbles. “The programme has helped shape my business, from the incredible help and mentoring of the Sussex Innovation team, to the thinking and planning I had to do for the business plan around my launch product. Winning the Social Impact Prize will really help me get started with developing a website
The Social Impact Prize is awarded each year to the enterprise with the most potential to bring about positive social change. The 2022 winner is 2nd year BSc Psychology student Jazmine Tiley, whose business Protective Bubbles will develop products designed to help individuals protect themselves, their loved ones and their belongings.
(L-R) Simon Chuter, Jazmine Tiley, Richard Lassiter, Nigel Lambe
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