Student entrepreneurs set for MDXcelerator International Final
Student entrepreneurs set for MDXcelerator International Final
18/04/2023
Finalists from London, Mauritius and Dubai will pitch their businesses in a 'Dragon's Den' style event
Entrepreneurial students from Middlesex University’s campuses in Dubai, Mauritius and London will compete in an upcoming global event.
The MDXcelerator International Final, which will be held online on May 11, will bring together winners of competitions from each campus - Rebeca Najmias (London), Yovanie Sevanandee (Mauritius) and Abdurrahman Sagir (Dubai).
Finalists, who stand to win 3k seed funding, will each be given 5 minutes to pitch their business to the online audience and panel followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.
"The program provided us with mentorship, resources, and guidance from experienced professionals, which has greatly accelerated our progress. We are truly appreciative of the MDXcelerator program for equipping us with the tools and knowledge to drive our business forward and achieve our entrepreneurial goals.” Safiz Hamed, Aakash Salian and Anwar Rahman, founders of Colide.
This year the MDXcelerator programme went worldwide with the campuses in London, Mauritius and Dubai running a joint start-up support programme including masterclasses, workshops and spectacular local pitching competitions where the finalists were awarded prize money to help with launching their businesses.
In the London event, Rebeca Najmias, an MSc Digital Marketing student, won the top 6k cash prize for her business venture The Tea & Coffee Exchange, which will offer Japanese tea and coffee, exclusive desserts, signature beverages, fair trade events and workshops on the culture in Japan.
With the cash prize funding help, she plans to open her venue in London and prepare for the big launch with the goal of more branches in future.
Speaking about the process, she said: “Being a part of the MDXcelerator has been an amazing experience.
“I am very thankful for having a platform where students can create their ideas and show them to the world. It is a very unique opportunity. They were amazing pitches too and fortunate I was the lucky winner but in the end we all win with the experience and learn from each other.
“Being persistent and finding the gap in the market is one of the most valuable lessons that I learned.”
In second place Redha Sohali, a BA Business Management student, won a 4k cash injection for her business The Good Deed, a clothing brand suitable for various climates and made from sustainable, recycled fabrics and biodegradable packaging with £7 from every sale going into charity. She described the process as “very exciting” and thanked the MDX staff who provided support throughout the competition.
“The world needs entrepreneurs right now because entrepreneurs create social change,” said Redha.
In third place, Safiz Hameed and Aakash Salian (both MA International Business Management) and Anwar Rahman (BA Business Management) were awarded 2k for their university-based social networking platform Colide which connects aspiring entrepreneurs based on their ideas, interests, skills and locations.
The company's core product is a mobile app, which allows users to create profiles, list their business ideas, and swipe through potential collaborators.
They want Colide to become a “leading player in the online networking industry, particularly among aspiring entrepreneurs and collaborators, by fostering an entrepreneurial culture at universities and facilitating meaningful connections for potential collaborations to bring business ideas to life”.
On the MDXcelerator process, they said: “We are grateful for the opportunity and the experience has been invaluable in helping us further develop our business idea and take it to the next level. The program provided us with mentorship, resources, and guidance from experienced professionals, which has greatly accelerated our progress.
“The supportive environment and networking opportunities offered by the program have enabled us to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, potential collaborators, and investors.
“We are truly appreciative of the MDXcelerator program for equipping us with the tools and knowledge to drive our business forward and achieve our entrepreneurial goals.”
The University would like to thank Santander Universities for its generous £10,000 funding towards MDXcelerator and ongoing support over the years with the competition and entrepreneurial activities.
Simon Poulter, Relationship Manager at Santander Universities UK, has delivered multiple workshops and took part in judging panels, supporting the student participants to develop their business ideas.
Student entrepreneurs set for MDXcelerator International Final
Entrepreneurial students from Middlesex University’s campuses in Dubai, Mauritius and London will compete in an upcoming global event.
The MDXcelerator International Final, which will be held online on May 11, will bring together winners of competitions from each campus - Rebeca Najmias (London), Yovanie Sevanandee (Mauritius) and Abdurrahman Sagir (Dubai).
Finalists, who stand to win 3k seed funding, will each be given 5 minutes to pitch their business to the online audience and panel followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.
This year the MDXcelerator programme went worldwide with the campuses in London, Mauritius and Dubai running a joint start-up support programme including masterclasses, workshops and spectacular local pitching competitions where the finalists were awarded prize money to help with launching their businesses.
In the London event, Rebeca Najmias, an MSc Digital Marketing student, won the top 6k cash prize for her business venture The Tea & Coffee Exchange, which will offer Japanese tea and coffee, exclusive desserts, signature beverages, fair trade events and workshops on the culture in Japan.
With the cash prize funding help, she plans to open her venue in London and prepare for the big launch with the goal of more branches in future.
Speaking about the process, she said: “Being a part of the MDXcelerator has been an amazing experience.
“I am very thankful for having a platform where students can create their ideas and show them to the world. It is a very unique opportunity. They were amazing pitches too and fortunate I was the lucky winner but in the end we all win with the experience and learn from each other.
“Being persistent and finding the gap in the market is one of the most valuable lessons that I learned.”
In second place Redha Sohali, a BA Business Management student, won a 4k cash injection for her business The Good Deed, a clothing brand suitable for various climates and made from sustainable, recycled fabrics and biodegradable packaging with £7 from every sale going into charity. She described the process as “very exciting” and thanked the MDX staff who provided support throughout the competition.
“The world needs entrepreneurs right now because entrepreneurs create social change,” said Redha.
In third place, Safiz Hameed and Aakash Salian (both MA International Business Management) and Anwar Rahman (BA Business Management) were awarded 2k for their university-based social networking platform Colide which connects aspiring entrepreneurs based on their ideas, interests, skills and locations.
The company's core product is a mobile app, which allows users to create profiles, list their business ideas, and swipe through potential collaborators.
They want Colide to become a “leading player in the online networking industry, particularly among aspiring entrepreneurs and collaborators, by fostering an entrepreneurial culture at universities and facilitating meaningful connections for potential collaborations to bring business ideas to life”.
On the MDXcelerator process, they said: “We are grateful for the opportunity and the experience has been invaluable in helping us further develop our business idea and take it to the next level. The program provided us with mentorship, resources, and guidance from experienced professionals, which has greatly accelerated our progress.
“The supportive environment and networking opportunities offered by the program have enabled us to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, potential collaborators, and investors.
“We are truly appreciative of the MDXcelerator program for equipping us with the tools and knowledge to drive our business forward and achieve our entrepreneurial goals.”
The University would like to thank Santander Universities for its generous £10,000 funding towards MDXcelerator and ongoing support over the years with the competition and entrepreneurial activities.
Simon Poulter, Relationship Manager at Santander Universities UK, has delivered multiple workshops and took part in judging panels, supporting the student participants to develop their business ideas.
Sign up and join the MDXcelerator International Final on May 11.
Find out more about the Enterprise Development Hub at the university.
Related stories: