Congratulations to the winners of the
Side Hustle Initiative October 2023
Brought to you by YourGamePlan and Cavendish (formerly finnCap Group)
We are proud to showcase the winners of this year’s Side Hustle Initiative in both categories of ‘New Business Ideas’ and ‘Current Business’.
All finalists on the day were truly impressive and we applaud them for their creativity and dedication to improving the lives of their communities and the world.
The final winners won a share of the £10,000 prize pot to boost their businesses – we cannot wait to see how everything progresses!
Thank you to everyone who voted and supported these talented young people 👏🏽
Meet the Judges
Now in its third year, The Side Hustle Initiative is a nationwide-campaign helping young entrepreneurs grow or launch their own business. YourGamePlan’s mission is to ensure that every student has the confidence and support to make the best decision about their future when leaving school.
CURRENT BUSINESS CATEGORY
1st Place: Wclothing
Current Business Category: 1st Place
Jeremy Williams
My business will reshape the fashion industry.
There are no sustainable alternatives to fast fashion.
The fast fashion business model is incredibly profitable, even more so when pivoted in a sustainable direction.
Wclothing will be the first sustainable fast fashion brand. Taking unwanted clothes and upscaling them to match current fashion trends.
Follow us on social media @wclothing.uk
and check out our website: https://wclothing.uk
Big things coming soon…
2nd Place: BWOM (previously known as Q0UG Games)
Current Business Category: 2nd Place
Henry Cibirka, Zephyr Bayliss
BWOM is a game development studio based in Ipswich with owners Zephyr Bayliss and Henry Cibirka.
Founded when we were both only 13, we worked tirelessly on creating games for people to play. Some notable games created by Q0UG Games are Grocery Store Simulator: A game where six players work together to run a shop. That game has gained over 160,000 plays with many more DAUs.
Other notable games include: Beat People Up Simulator which has gained over 30,000 visits and Punch Wall Simulator which has around 18,000 visits. Q0UG Games has made over £3,400 in profits and all of the money is reinvested back into the company as a core value to grow. Most games created by Q0UG Games are made within 6 months and both Henry and Zephyr, now 15, have worked tirelessly on each game created. Wether it be programming, 3D Modelling, Sound design… etc, Q0UG Games has done it.
Share
Runners up
Bridges Burnt
Riyadh and Tausif
We are here to introduce you to Bridges Burnt, an affordable collection of clothing which embodies a distinctive combination of…
… fashion and creativity. At Bridges Burnt, we pride ourselves on a distinctive style that combines modern fashion with traditional methods of manufacturing.
Our designs are a celebration of diversity, embracing multicultural influences and incorporating them into contemporary fashion. By bridging the gap between cultures and races, allows fashion to have a lasting impact.
Furthermore, Bridges Burnt is more than just a clothing brand; it is a movement. We actively engage with our community by organizing workshops, participating in careers events. Through these events, we aim to inspire creativity, encourage self-expression, and foster a sense of unity.
Share
Take Two Photography London
Talhah Syed
My business mainly focuses on professional (linkedIn profiles), fashion and family portrait photoshoots. I started off taking photos as a side interest with my mum’s phone at the age of 12.
After a keen interest I moved on to using a professional level camera taking shots for friends and family. The local council recognised my work and received a scholarship to undertake a GCSE Photography in exchange for work done with the council. I then built up a number of clients for product and headshot photography whilst shadowing professional videographers who filmed films like Marvel movies. I have been shortlisted for a number of awards, including the British Wildlife Photography Awards. My work has been put on display at the Glasgow Gallery of Photography. My winning photos include one for portrait photography where my work was displayed at the Saatchi Gallery in London. One of my images were featured in the St Raphael Hospice 2023 Calendar. Most recently i worked with Sohail Choudhury, one of the candidates from the popular BBC program ‘The Apprentice’. Currently I work in 2 photography studios and looking into working with an agency for product and promotion photography. At present, I have been shortlisted for the young creative leader of the year based in Ealing, London. My business is quite slow as I do not have a lot of flexibility on accessing the studios where all my main photoshoots take place. This help will be ending at the beginning of next year.
Share
SK Robotics
Suleymaan Khan
Introducing “SK Robotics,” a ground-breaking initiative aimed at teaching youngsters, especially those from deprived backgrounds…
… about the exciting world of engineering.
With a keen understanding of the massive shortage of young engineers, I am driven to create passion, vision, and opportunities for these aspiring engineers, ensuring a bright future for the field. Without intervention, the loss of engineers within the next 10 years is a looming possibility, making it crucial to ignite interest and provide pathways for the next generation.
At SK Robotics, my mission is to demonstrate to youngsters the pervasive influence of engineering in their everyday lives. From the phones they use, the films they watch, the trainers they wear and the concerts or sports stadiums they attend, engineering is the foundation behind it all. Even their favourite eating places, gaming consoles, beauty products, jewellery, and accessories owe their existence to engineering marvels. By showcasing these connections, I aim to inspire a deep appreciation and curiosity for the field.
Classes will be offered both in-person and virtually, ensuring accessibility for all interested students. With a venue already identified and associated costs gathered, SK Robotics is primed to provide a conducive learning environment.
Furthermore, the recognition received on June 22, 2023, for the Network Rail Innovation Award and being a runner-up in the Intermediate Engineers Award speaks volumes about my commitment and potential. The prestigious award was granted for my innovative Butler Robot, designed to assist the elderly with mobility, dementia management, medication adherence, loneliness prevention, and fostering independence at home. This transformative solution also contributes to freeing up valuable hospital beds.
At the young age of 14, I have already established a strong online presence through my own YouTube channel called SK Robotics which showcases projects like homemade flying airplanes and remote-control cars. I aim to captivate young minds and ignite a shared passion for engineering by leveraging my YouTube and social media presence. I anticipate attracting additional students, thereby increasing the number of participants and making the business profitable. This passionate approach is the driving force behind my belief that I can not only address the shortage of young engineers within the country but also build a thriving business.
Market research has yielded overwhelming support from local residents, validating the demand for my ideas. Furthermore, my engineering classes will not only teach youngsters how to make robots but contribute to resolving local issues, such as graffiti, environmental concerns, and road safety for youngsters. By actively engaging with the community and providing practical solutions, SK Robotics aims to make a positive impact on society. In conclusion, SK Robotics is committed to empowering and inspiring the next generation of young engineers. Through accessible education, innovative programs, and a passionate approach, I strive to create a world where young engineers can pursue their dreams and contribute to a better future. Join me on this exciting journey as I shape young minds, resolve local challenges, and build a brighter tomorrow.
You can visit SK Robotics YouTube channel here.
Share
NEW BUSINESS IDEA CATEGORY
1st Place: REBOOT.
New Business Idea: 1st Place
Charlie Carter and Aston Oniell
REBOOT. is a pioneering social enterprise committed to providing affordable CPR compression devices to communities…
… worldwide. With a vision to save lives and improve survival rates in emergency situations, REBOOT. focuses on addressing the global disparity in access to life-saving equipment. By offering reasonably priced CPR compression devices, the organisation aims to empower individuals, organisations, and healthcare systems to respond effectively during cardiac emergencies.
Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death globally, with millions of lives lost each year due to inadequate emergency response. Access to proper CPR devices and training plays a crucial role in increasing survival rates. However, traditional CPR devices often come with exorbitant price tags, limiting their availability to well-funded healthcare institutions and affluent individuals. REBOOT. recognizes this disparity and seeks to bridge the gap by offering cost-effective solutions. REBOOT. designs and manufactures high-quality, user-friendly CPR compression devices that are priced fairly to ensure affordability.
Leveraging innovative technology, the organization develops portable and durable devices that are suitable for use in various settings, including hospitals, ambulances, schools, and community centers. These devices incorporate advanced features to guide users in administering effective CPR, thus increasing the chances of successful resuscitation. To achieve its mission, REBOOT. actively collaborates with local and international partners, including governments, non-profit organizations, and healthcare institutions. These partnerships help in establishing distribution networks, facilitating training programs, and creating awareness about the importance of CPR and the availability of affordable devices. By working together, REBOOT. can reach underserved communities and make a meaningful impact on global healthcare accessibility.
Charity is a large part of our business meaning a partnership with non-for-profit organizations is key to expand our product across the globe and save as many lives as possible. Price is important for our organization; we believe access to health is restricted in countries like America and efficient health care is not accessible to many. Our product, The REBOOT. will not come at a high price because our products affordability is a key factor in ensuring widespread accessibility. By keeping the price low, we empower individuals from diverse backgrounds and income levels to enjoy the benefits and safety of our product. We won’t let financial constraints limit access to our customers.
n conclusion REBOOT. is a trailblazing social enterprise that recognizes the global disparity in access to affordable CPR compression devices. By offering reasonably priced solutions and comprehensive training programs, the organization has become a catalyst for change in the field of emergency response. Through collaborative partnerships and a commitment to community empowerment, REBOOT. will make a significant impact in improving survival rates during cardiac emergencies. By providing access to affordable CPR devices across the globe, the organization is allowing individuals and organizations to save lives and create a healthier, safer future for all. REBOOT. the future of health.
Share
2nd Place: Bionic
New Business Idea: 2nd Place
Lulu Poulson and Amelie Paul
Picture this, legs pounding, arms pumping, panting for your next breath, your long Sunday run is well under way.
The only limitation to a flood of endorphins is that sticky, empty energy gel you’ve been carrying for the last 5 miles, fighting every urge to just drop that gel without the council on your back.
You know you need to be home for the 2pm kick off, and you want unlimited bragging rights of your new PB at the school run tomorrow morning. But there’s one thing holding you back. Your empty energy gels.
We are the solution to this dilemma we all know so well. Bionic is an energy gel that is eco-friendly, resealable, and actually tastes nice. After a quick quiz on our website, your personalised energy gel will arrive at your door before the whistle goes. We believe our product is the solution to providing athletes with the energy they need while keeping our planet in mind.
Bionic is not only in the interest of our customers but, with our eco-friendly packaging, no harm is caused during its product life cycle. Our USP is that our product is fully biodegradable causing zero damage to our planet. Bionic is also resealable which again decreases the need to throw away energy gels that aren’t empty and the stickiness that comes with an un-finished gel.
What puts us in a league of our own is that we allow our customer with a choice of texture and flavour based on their preference and sport. Since Bionic has our planets benefits at heart, Bionic gels will be strictly delivered through electric vehicles with charging centres based at our factories around the UK. Bionic is currently online using a direct distribution channel of manufacturer to consumer.
As our business grows, we would like to advance to your local supermarkets and sports shops such as Decathlon, Sainsbury, Sports Direct etc.
Our main form of advertisement will be through social media. With the percentage of UK citizens using social media everyday being 84.3%, we believe that advertising Bionic this way will enable us to reach our key demographic.
We offer a wide range of different products, and the price range will differ depending on how many of our gels you buy, what type and sizing (ranging from £1.49 for an individual gel to £59.99 for a personalised 60 pack). Bionic also offers ‘Create Your Taste’ which allows you to create your own pack of different gels instead of a pack of only one flavour/texture. In doing this, ‘Create Your Taste’ allow us to understand what our most popular flavours/texture are which benefits our company’s primary research and ensures our customer needs are met.
We are Bionic and we are the combination of eco-friendliness and sport energy you never knew you needed. Bionic gels are affordable, carefree, suited especially for you and are finally the solution to competition litter. So, take one for the team and vote Bionic to get us to that finish line.
Share
Runners up
Defib Drones
Will Wyatt, Jude Vincent and Yannik Reilly
Our plan combines ethical business practices and next generation technology to bring defibrillators to people in need…
…over all terrains and in all environments. The defibrillator drone is an easily accessible relatively cheap way to prevent fatalities in otherwise dangerous or inaccessible places.
Now going into this you may be asking has this ever been done before? The simple answer is no, not on the same scale as we plan to implement it, the only other time this concept has ever tried to be put into practice is by a small experimental company in Sweden, our plan doesn’t infringe on any copyright and is a much more autonomous design.
The plan is to have drone pads with defibrillator drones on the unused roofs of buildings, this would be a much more cost affective way to have defibrillator coverage over an entire city and reduce ambulance clutter for more dramatic causes. Another question you may have is why this business isn’t non-for-profit, the reason for this is that we plan to expand into public healthcare first to gain enough capital to establish our brand and go into the private sector this is because to cover entire areas and cities you need a lot of drones and defibrillators.
The reason we are making this product is to stop the 356,000 fatal cardiac arrests that happen outside of hospitals annually if we implemented our drone system it could easily half that number and save a lot more people especially in developing countries where the roads can make it hard for ambulances to get to people in need. Our plan is to make a positive impact on the world so our drone pads on the tops of buildings will have solar panels surrounding them, in order to drastically reduce their carbon footprints.
Even though the drones would be very useful in developing countries we can also implement them in developed cities like London, at the moment there are 5,304 defibrillators in London, we could cut that number down to 120 (including spares for extreme weather), this would be a worthwhile investment for the government and private investors alike as it would cut government costs and generate a lot of capital whilst establishing the brand name. One of the other main reasons that this drone would easily overtake traditional defibrillators is being able to land on roofs or balconies where it would take to long for traditional methods. Our drones are a mix of carbon fibre and Aircraft Grade Aluminium bodies with high quality and precise components to ensure a safe reliable service. We have suppliers which will produce precision components (Ontic engineering and Renishaw).
Overall we believe that the defibrillator drone could save many lives in all parts of the globe, To release this product on the market we will use price skimming as there will be an initial high demand for our drones therefore the strategy will be effective.
Share
FortiCup
Jesse Victor-igwe, Ellis Victor-igwe, Liam Green and Aleksander Keatings
Around half of women and men surveyed have had their drinks or food spiked at least once. Yet, this crime that so many people…
… have been affected by is heavily overlooked by the authorities due to the elusive nature of its perpetrators. But we aim to give concerned young people a way to protect themselves from this very real danger with our product, the Forticup. With this cup and our revolutionary design and technology we allow the consumer to enjoy a safe drink without the risk of being spiked.
The Forticup is a device which has multiple layers of protection. The first is that the Forticup blocks access to the customers drink when not in use by physically covering the drink. The second layer is a system which monitors access to the drink and notifies the user through a mobile app and in-device systems of when someone accesses their beverage. This ensures that in the event that a drink is tampered with while a user is away, they will be aware of the danger and be able to take action.
We are targeting this direct to the consumer as the majority of drink spiking occurs at private parties such as house parties. In addition, it is primarily aimed at younger audiences as the overall majority of students have been spiked as of 2023. We aim to cut this number down with our revolutionary design to make sure everyone can drink without the worry that every sip may be a real and unexpected danger.
Share
Treasure Me
Rhiminee Mais
Hi, I’m Rhiminee. I’m seventeen, was born healthy and live pain free. I have my own bed. I enjoy simple things like art and laughing with my family at home.
But some aren’t as lucky as me… Treasure Me is a charity where we create unique art out of patients’ sentimental items and clothing. Our mission is to bring them to life by creating personalised pieces, helping them keep the memories and people they care about most close to their hearts during their stay. Our target market is critically ill, bedridden and severely injured patients of all ages, and we also aim to positively affect those with sick loved ones. Our long-term goal is to offer the same services in low income countries. According to The National Library of Medicine, art contributes to ‘creating an environment and atmosphere where patients can socialise and stay connected to the world and life outside the hospital, themselves and their spirit. The experimental case study thus indicates that visual art contributes positively to health outcomes in hospitals.’ I truly believe healing begins in the mind, and Treasure Me’s core focus is the patient’s inner world. A little gift goes a long way… Art requests will sell at a discounted fee, and we will accept donations to fund business ventures. We will have an online database of artists and volunteers on our website, who the patient or their family and friends can choose to work with. This will range from textile artists to painters, and art will range anywhere from teddies and blankets to illustrations and comics, using therapeutic scents such as lavender. I hope we can help struggling artists use their passion to make a difference and also become recognised. We will work sustainably, using ethically sourced paints and materials. If necessary materials and clothing will be thoroughly sanitised to prevent infection. Hospitals will also be able to contact us directly to decorate their hospital with murals in order to make the environment feel hopeful and reduce the stigma around staying or visiting hospitals. Having a larger team will allow the artists to work more one-on-one with patients’ families and friends during the creation process, in order to not overlook the struggle the family members go through during the hospitalisation of a loved one, and ensure the gift is completely personal. Artists will visit the patient to personally give them the gift (if allowed) to make it a more intimate and meaningful experience. Not only will the charity offer products, but it will offer events and workshops. I’ve had experience making art commissions, and it warms my heart to see people’s joy when you show them the finished piece. I hope this world can be filled with more moments like these. Success is measured in smiles.
Share