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Presents you won’t find anywhere else from UCL’s entrepreneurs

From virtual reality games that make history fun for children, to a bracelet that results in 10 trees being planted in Kenya, UCL’s startups have unique gift ideas for almost everyone on your list.

UCL has a thriving entrepreneurial community of students, staff and alumni. These talented, driven founders have developed an eclectic range of products and services. Discover presents you won’t see anywhere else to suit all tastes and interests.

All the businesses featured have been supported in their journey by UCL Innovation & Enterprise. 

View gift ideas for:

For your favourite little people

Musemio: Making history fun for children
A screenshot of Cleopatra from one of Musemio's games

Got a child that thinks history’s boring? Prepare to change their mind, with one of Musemio’s virtual reality games. This UCL startup makes realistic, immersive games that allow children to learn about history in a fun and accessible way. Musemio was set up by UCL alumnae Kaitlin Fritz (UCL History of Art) and Olga Kravchenko.

More gift ideas for little people

For animal lovers

Tuggs: sustainable, healthy dog food
A dog inspecting a cardboard box

Tuggs’ dog food is freshly cooked, made sustainably with insects, and tailored to each dog based on their weight and breed. Our four-legged friends have never had it so good. Harry Bremner was studying for his MSc Entrepreneurship at UCL when he saw just how unhealthy the canine food industry was. This sparked the idea for his healthy dog food business.

For the sustainably focused

Eden Greenspace: support simple solutions that restore our planet
A bracelet made of dark green sustainable cotton

This time of year it can sometimes feel like it’s all about consumption. So, here’s an idea to give something back instead. Buy the company’s Eden Bracelet and they’ll plant 10 trees in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley on your behalf. The business was co-founded by Samuel Abel (who’s currently studying an MA Philosophy at UCL) and Ryan Cooper. It’s all about helping people support simple ideas to help the planet, from rewilding to tree planting to ocean plastic removal.

Other sustainable gift options

For looking and feeling good

Sea Therapeutics: harness the healing power of the sea
A jar of one of Sea Therapeutics’ remedies

Sea Therapeutics’ range of sea-inspired natural remedies are backed by the latest science that connects gut and skin health. Their signature Seamoss Manuka Blend product can be taken daily, or applied topically, to improve gut and skin problems. Sisters Pargol (UCL Biochemical Engineering) and Nazgol Esnaashari-Esfahani came up with the idea while exploring ways to treat their own digestive problems.

Afrochenchix: hydrated hair without chemicals
Bottles of Afrocenchix hair products

Afrocenchix’s range of award-winning products for Afro and curly hair are vegan, organic and cruelty free. Wanting a natural alternative to harsh chemicals that celebrated, rather than subjugated, Afro hair, Rachael Twumasi-Corson (UCL MSc in Medical Anthropology) grew the company at UCL.

Other gifts for self-care

For the house proud

Gohobi: handcrafted homeware inspired by Asian art and history
A selection of green vases

Gohobi is a London-based handcrafted homeware and lifestyle brand that collaborates directly with artists, producers and farmers to redefine tea culture. Their products include teapots, tea cups and all kinds of other tea accessories. Gohobi was set up by Shih-Che (Evan) Huang who graduated from UCL in 2016 with an MSc in Management.

BioBright: algae plants that are easy on the eye and easy to grow
Colourful algae plants floating in glass bottles

Perfect for people who don’t have time to take care of their plants and flowers. BioBright’s algae plants are simple to grow and will definitely add that special something to any interior. The business is the brainchild of siblings Vanessa (UCL MSc in Politics Violence and Crime) and Ayrton Barzasi.

For budding creatives

Turning Landscapes: Transforming waste into paints
A tube of brown coloured paint

There are paints and then there are paints with history behind them. While studying for a PhD at the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, Dr Onya McCausland transformed ochre waste from disused coal mines into pigments for use in paint. Working with the Coal Authority and UCL Innovation & Enterprise, she was able to bring these unique paints to market.

Other ideas for creative types

For food and drink connoisseurs

Double Dutch: award-winning mixers and tonics
Three bottles of mixers next to some cocktails

Mixers just got a makeover. Double Dutch sells a range of premium soft drinks mixers with unusual flavour combinations. Like pomegranate and basil, or cucumber and watermelon. The company was set up by twin sisters Joyce and Raissa de Haas (UCL MSc Technology Entrepreneurship 2014).

More mouth-watering gifts

For tech enthusiasts

The Alice Camera: Empowering digital content creators
A camera

The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Alice Camera converts your smartphone into a professional camera. Perfect for anyone creating content online. The Alice Camera is the brainchild of Vishal Kumar (UCL Spatial Data Science and Visualisation 2017) Vik Kumar (UCL Atomic & Particle Physics and Physical Chemistry), alongside Dr Liam Donovan. Available now to pre-order.

Another idea for tech fans

UCL startups and spinouts

At UCL, we support staff, students and alumni to turn their knowledge and ideas into products, services and applications.

UCL spinouts and startup companies help attract external investment into the UK, creating jobs and driving innovation.

In total, over 330 new graduate businesses and over 55 new spinouts were started at UCL between 2014 and 2021. Collectively, they’ve raised over £2.5 billion in investment and currently employ more than 3,500 people.

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