UCL’s most promising startups pitch at London Demo Day 2023

The event is an annual collaboration that introduces investors to the best and brightest innovations at top London universities with founder-owned IP.

Five ventures in the early growth stage pitched from each university, looking to raise between £100,000 and £1.5 million.

The pitchers included undergraduates, postgraduates and recent alumni, and covered industries including health, digital, finance, consumer and environment, with a strong focus this year on health technology.

Each venture pitched to an audience of 400+, including investors, partners, students and alumni, during the event at King’s College London.

The five startups representing UCL this year were:

• Uncommon Minds, co-founded by Kirsten Sarah Jack (International Planning MSc, 2010) and Sascha Clare Evans. This one-stop shop for mental health and wellness services is used by neurodivergent people across the globe.
• Scentient, a company that helps incorporate olfaction (sense of smell) into field and simulation training to create a more immersive and realistic experience. It was co-founded by Ivan Novikov (Mechanical Engineering MEng, 2020) and Anastasia Georgievskaya.
• No Impunity, an impact litigation funding platform that gives investors the opportunity to finance climate and human rights litigation against corporate abuse. Its co-founders are Yanis Lunetta (European, Social & Political Studies, 2021) with Aurelia Lefrapper, Emma Chailloux and Delfina Moresco.
• Tuggs, a company improving dog's health and creating a greener planet through sustainable, carbon-negative, insect-based pet food. It was set up by Harry Bremner (MSc Entrepreneurship, 2021).
• Stackt, founded by Rashid Aliyev (BSc Information Management for Business, 2019), which is a moving and storage tech company for personal and business needs.

A further startup, Enhanced Fertility, based at King’s College London, has also received support from UCL’s Innovate UK EDGE team to help scale up and further develop their app that focuses on making personalised fertility care accessible to all. 

Tuggs Founder Harry Bremner said: “Everyone at Tuggs is excited to have joined in London Demo Day and to have had the opportunity to showcase our achievements over the past 12 months as we look to raise our Seed round.

“We have achieved a lot in a short space of time, and further funding will provide us with the tools to scale even quicker to serve more and more pups across the country with nutritious insect-based meals. We’re grateful to UCL for the support that they’ve shown in our venture since the beginning, and we look forward to continued collaboration as we grow.”

No Impunity co-founder Yanis Lunetta said: “The UCL Innovation & Enterprise team has been with us every step of the way, helping us understand our market and get better at telling our story. At No Impunity, we unlock the potential of litigation funding - granting every individual the opportunity to finance climate and human rights litigation. With UCL's help, we've got the tools and knowledge to make a real difference. Today, as we share our mission, we're grateful for their backing and for the chance to work with our alma mater on such a project.”

The pitch event was followed by a networking drinks reception where each venture exhibited their start-up and had the opportunity to connect with investors in attendance.

Since 2019, 45 teams have taken to the stage as part of London Demo Day, collectively raising £47m+ with a combined post-money valuation of £155m+. They have created 375 new jobs in the UK and around the world (companies trackable by Beauhurst).

UCL President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence, said: "It was inspiring to hear from so many talented entrepreneurs at UCL and across the city as part of London Demo Day. The day is a fantastic opportunity for these exceptional startups to connect and collaborate with investors and build on the impact they are already having on the world.

“Student startups are the lifeblood of innovation and entrepreneurship on our campus. They not only drive economic growth but also foster creativity, problem-solving, and a culture of innovation among our students.

“Supporting and nurturing these entrepreneurs through events such as today’s is essential to shaping the future of our society. I would like to congratulate all of the startups that took part and look forward to seeing what they achieve in the coming months and years.”

All of the UCL startups who pitched are part of The Hatchery incubator programme at BaseKX, UCL’s dedicated entrepreneurship hub in the King’s Cross Knowledge Quarter, managed by UCL Innovation & Enterprise. They receive free support, mentorship and dedicated office space as well as masterclasses, clinics and competitions to fast-track their success and prepare them for investment.

The startups will now begin their nail-biting wait to find out whether they have been successful in securing the valuable funding, with additional meetings taking place with interested investors over the next year.

London Demo Day will return in 2024, to be hosted by LSE on 12 September.

Links

• Uncommon Minds
• Scentient
• No Impunity
• Tuggs
• Stackt
• UCL Innovation & Enterprise
• UCL support allows fertility company to help more people
• Entrepreneurship support for UCL students

Image

• The ventures pitching on stage at London Demo Day 2023

Media contact

Sophie Vinter

Tel: +44 (0)20 3108 7787

Email: s.vinter [at] ucl.ac.uk