Enterprising students to receive share of £20,000 to kickstart their businesses

Four enterprising University of Huddersfield students are to receive a share of £20,000 to help kickstart their businesses after success in the Alan Lewis Seed Fund awards.

The annual competition began in 2024 and is named after local textiles and technology entrepreneur Alan Lewis, a former Visiting Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University.

Open to University of Huddersfield students and alumni, the winners are judged on their business plan submissions by a panel of experts. Up to £20,000 is available in seed fund awards each year, with a maximum of £5,000 per applicant.

Four winners were announced at a celebration event held at the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre (3M BIC), from a total of fourteen applicants who made it through to the second stage.

The 2025 winners won £5000 each. They are:

• Kebin Kurian and Mark Adiele – Markeb Media Ltd – Computing and Engineering graduates. Markeb Media is a UK-based real estate media company, revolutionising real estate marketing by providing innovative, high-quality media solutions that enhance property listings.
• Emily Aldred – ELDRED – Arts and Humanities graduate. ELDRED offers clothing inspired by the country lifestyle, exclusively designed for young women aged 18 – 30 who love the countryside but want modern and fashion-forward pieces.
• Jeff Udoh – ClaydXA Limited Partnership - Computing and Engineering graduate. ClaydXA specialises in developing AI-powered solutions for businesses, designed to enhance healthcare outcomes.
• Zach Cundall – Heaven Is Hell Apparel Ltd - Computing and Engineering graduate. Heaven Is Hell Apparel is an alternative clothing brand specializing in tattoo, skate, and streetwear culture, with a focus on sustainability and meaningful designs that resonate with their audience.

Each winner was asked to speak about their business and how they intend to use the grant to boost their enterprise.

The judging panel comprised Charles Maltby, a Business Mentor and experienced Technology and Engineering Executive; Dr Ruth Brown-Shepherd, Scientific Business Consultant and Entrepreneur at STEM consultancy SYJTL; Mark Jarvis, CEO and Founder of management consultancy Textile IQ; Jennifer Davis, Director of Business Services at DJH Accountants; and Dr Noor Muhammad, Senior Lecturer in Management at the University’s Huddersfield Business School.

Key figures from the University, Director of Research, Innovation and Knowledge Exchange (RIKE) Professor Parikshit Goswami and Sue Cooke, Chief Executive Officer of the University’s 3M BIC welcomed guests and applicants to the celebratory event.

Previous Seed Fund winners Caroline Hodgson of Herd Acoustics Ltd and Richard Kirk of Kirk Fashion also spoke about what the award has meant to them and their businesses since winning in 2024.

Professor Goswami, the head of the RIKE team which supports enterprises and entrepreneurs across the University, commented: “We’re delighted to run the Alan Lewis Seed Fund for the second year running. It’s fantastic to support our student and graduate businesses in forming their ideas and growing their start-ups, and we look forward to seeing how this grant funding takes their ventures to the next level.”

Sue Cooke, Chief Executive Officer of the University’s 3M BIC, which has grown into the leading hub for business growth and innovation in the last decade, commented: “Congratulations to the Seed Fund winners and all applicants who took part in the competition. We eagerly await to see what they do next on their entrepreneurial journeys.”

The Seed Fund is designed to support companies to bring a proven idea to life or grow an existing business. The grant can be used to help bring a product to market from a formed idea, help grow or scale an existing business or purchase equipment that will help a business move to the next stage.

The event was held on 1 April at the 3M BIC which was one of the UK’s first business innovation centres when it opened in 2013, breaking down barriers between academia and industry. Since its inception, it has provided businesses with access to cutting-edge research, advanced technologies, and growth support.