UCL entrepreneurs named among Europe’s top young innovators

Tolulope ‘Tolu’ Ogunsina and twin sisters Joyce de Haas and Raissa de Haas are named in the prestigious list, which profiles rising stars under the age of 30. The list spans different sectors, including technology, science and healthcare and retail and ecommerce, among others.

Tolu, Joyce and Raissa are all UCL alumni who, as students, established companies at UCL’s Hatchery – an incubator space within BaseKX, UCL’s startup hub in King’s Cross.

Commenting on the news, Bao Tieu, Acceleration Manager for Entrepreneurship at UCL Innovation & Enterprise, said:

“Each year, UCL produces a huge talent pool of future innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs and it’s our mission to help unlock and support their potential to create an impact in the wider world. It’s incredibly gratifying to see Tolu, Mustafa, Joyce and Raissa recognised in this way and is a testament to their hard-work, determination and boundless creativity. I wish them, and all of our entrepreneurs at UCL, continued success in the future.”

Startup with a smile

Alongside co-founders Paul Varga (also a UCL alumnus) and Matthäus Ittner, Tolu came up with the concept of Playbrush – an interactive smart toothbrush which combines technology and gaming to encourage children to brush their teeth properly. The company has raised more than €3.5 million in investment, sold 175,000 Playbrush units in 25 countries and is now partnering with big brands like Unilever.  

Following their residency in the Hatchery, Playbrush has now moved into BaseKX’s commercial office space for fully-fledged startups from across London. 

Tolu was interviewed earlier this year about the company’s vision and mission, saying: “At the core of the business, we’re solving a health problem. We’re fighting tooth decay and helping people have confident smiles. The end goal is to have Playbrush in every bathroom in the world and we’re very grateful UCL Innovation & Enterprise has been really helpful in bringing us closer to our goal.”

Thirst for success

Joyce and Raissa launched their premium soft drinks business Double Dutch Drinks after securing support from a £9,000 UCL Bright Ideas Award (now the ‘Launch £10,000 programme’).

Building on the popularity of their unusual flavour combinations, including pomegranate and basil, the business has now sold 10 million bottles across 22 countries. The drinks are available at Michelin star restaurants and luxury hotels, such as The Savoy and Mandarin Oriental, as well as 2,000 supermarkets. 

Community of entrepreneurs

Also mentioned in the Forbes list were:

• UCLB spinout company Hazy, which helps developers and data scientists share information securely
• POQ, a mobile app builder for retailers, whose founders studied and met at UCL
• MishiPay, whose co-founder and UCL alumnus Mustafa Khanwala was supported by Innovation & Enterprise in applying for a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa

Links

You can watch Joyce and Raissa discuss their entrepreneurial journey in a video on the Forbes website.

Find out more about:

• Playbrush
• Double Dutch Drinks
• Hazy

Find out how UCL Innovation & Enterprise can help you:

• start and grow a business
• create a spin-out a company

Read more news from UCL Innovation & Enterprise.