futures❵FLARE
Ryan Flanagan – UniNav- ‘Most Innovative Idea’ BSc Computer Science (2010)
In my fi nal year of university, I was allocated rooms in buildings that I had never been to before. With no idea of how to fi nd them, I did the same as everybody else and went to reception for a map. Although I’m a fairly good map reader, following the map was diffi cult; had I been a bad map reader, I would’ve been completely lost! I have always been fascinated by new technology and how it can be used to its full potential so it was this inquisition that spurred me to create my winning fl are idea, an indoor navigation app.
I developed the app in the time that I had left at university and entered into the competition, hopeful of making the fi nal but unsure if I would. As it turns out, my idea UniNav was awarded Most Innovative Idea! Entering fl are was defi nitely one of the best decisions I have ever made. I met some great people and contacts along the way and developed solid skills that are not only applicable to setting up a business, but also to future employment and my personal life. The various stages of the competition really enable you to develop your business idea and constantly rethink and refi ne parts of it. It is a worthwhile competition for anyone with an idea no matter how big or small. I entered not knowing how far I would get and ended up walking away with a prize fund that will enable me to develop the app on a larger scale but also the confi dence to push the idea further.
Ryan Flanagan with awards ceremony guest Stella English
Each year, the University of Hertfordshire seeks out its entrepreneurial students and alumni to compete in ‘fl are’, their enterprise ideas challenge. Now in its sixth year, the competition has given many the platform to realise their ambitions and propel their business ideas to the next level. Four alumni winners of the fl are 2010/11 competition share their success:
Kerry Wright – Sick Little Monkeys - ‘Most Viable Idea’ BA Model and Special Effects (2010)
As an alumnus from an artistic background, I didn’t think I’d stand a chance of getting to the fi nal of fl are. In 2009 I entered the competition and made it to the second round but I was over the moon to get to the fi nal this year, and actually win! Before fl are, I had absolutely no experience of managing a business let alone starting one. Writing a business plan and preparing a pitch were completely foreign to me but the help I received from the enterprise team and the weekly workshops was brilliant. My business idea is centred around the merchandising of my ‘Sick Little Monkeys’ designs. I originally came up with the idea in 2007 when I based three original designs around the concept of ‘see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil’ – each monkey was seen to be harming itself in a manner attributed to its title (one was depicted cutting off its ear, another poking itself in the eye and the last was sewing up its mouth). The designs are intended to be quirky and comical and to date I have somewhere in the region of 60 different designs that I intend on making into fi gurines and transferring onto t-shirts, keyrings and games. With an idea like this, my worry was that the judges would misunderstand my designs and not be able to see the potential that I know this business has, so to win the Most Viable Business award has really given me confi dence. The competition was very rewarding but it was also a lot of fun. Each of the 12 fi nalists had such great ideas and I know they will all go far.
flare 2012
launches in October 2011. For further information visit
go.herts.ac.uk/fl are
Kerry Wright 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36