Imperial Entrepreneurs' Pledge

Introducing our pledger of the month, Dr. Claire Trant! 🌟 Dr. Claire Trant PhD FRSA graduated with a PhD in Material Science from Imperial College London in 2019, following an MSc in Geophysics in 2013, and a BSc in Physics in 2012. Claire’s journey through Imperial began with a BSc in Physics, which was quite different from her expectations, involving conceptual thinking and the surprise of learning C++. She fondly remembers forming strong friendships during this time, especially through her involvement in the Sailing Club. After completing her MSc in Petroleum Geophysics, she worked for two years before returning to Imperial to pursue her PhD in Material Science, where she worked with Rolls-Royce under Professor David Dye. Her research focused on fatigue in gamma titanium aluminide, a material being tested for use in turbine blades. What inspired Claire most at Imperial was the diversity of thought and the sheer number of passionate, intelligent individuals across various disciplines. Being in such an environment pushed her out of her comfort zone, helping her grow both personally and professionally. Today, Dr. Trant is the CEO and Co-Founder of Untap Health, a wastewater surveillance startup that develops cutting-edge technology to detect pathogens in wastewater for early disease detection. She emphasises that good communication has been essential to her success, a skill she honed at Imperial. Her career highlights include starting her company, building a talented team, securing investment, and achieving her first group of satisfied customers. When asked for advice for current students, Claire recommends taking full advantage of everything Imperial has to offer, whether it’s clubs, societies, or the opportunities that living in London provides. Signing the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge was Claire’s way of giving back to the institution that has supported her throughout her journey. “Imperial helped build my network and develop my skills as a leader,” she says. She fondly remembers her first pitch at the WE Innovate competition, where she gained valuable public speaking experience. Shortly after, she represented Imperial at Stage Two, Europe’s largest pitching competition, where she won six awards, including Best Female Founder and Best Tech Innovation. Claire is passionate about promoting women in STEM. Through Untap Health, she provides internships for young women to develop their business skills. During her PhD, she mentored girls from underprivileged schools and has continuously aims to inspire more women to pursue careers in STEM. Could you be a pledger? A gift of any size by an Imperial alumnus could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges while giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise #Inventedatimperial

Tell us about your venture! It's time for Imperial's annual startup survey. From funding rounds to new employees and expanding markets to a change in direction, we want to hear how you and your business have been getting on in the past year. This questionnaire also gives you the chance to tell us how Imperial can support you. We are always looking to expand and improve our support for Imperial founders and ventures so let us know how we can help. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes, so grab a coffee and get stuck in! The deadline to submit is 11.59pm on Sunday 13th October. https://hubs.ly/Q02SK8WH0

Introducing our pledger of the month, Dr. Theodora Kalentzi! 🌟🎓   Dr Theodora Kalentzi graduated with an MSc in Health Management from Imperial College London in 2005.    Dr. Kalentzi's studies in Health Care Management equipped her with essential business skills applicable to the healthcare sector. “It was great to learn about economics, organisation, people management, and how they can be applied in the health sector. I understood the environment of change and the need for continuous scanning to evaluate opportunities and challenges.”   Today, Dr. Kalentzi is the founder and Clinical Lead of the Medical Prime (UK) Menopause Clinic. The clinic has three menopause doctors providing consultations both in-person and remotely. Dr. Kalentzi also handles the clinic’s operational and strategic management and works to increase awareness among women, men and organisations.   “The combination of science and business within a framework of innovation at Imperial set the foundation for my entrepreneurial journey. I also learned the importance of working with multi-talented people.”   Dr. Kalentzi’s career highlights include founding Medical Prime and becoming a Medical Director for the NHS. While she acknowledges the challenges she has faced, she values them for shaping her current success.   Her days are long but fulfilling, involving patient consultations, meetings with colleagues and organisations, and planning for the future of women’s health. She enjoys engaging with Imperial alumni and students and has collaborated with MSc Business students on their research projects.   Dr. Kalentzi advises current students to keep an open mind, learn about themselves, and engage with people from different fields.   Signing the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge was Dr. Kalentzi's way of giving back to the institution that provided her with a fertile environment for learning, innovation, and entrepreneurship. “We are part of a chain; I benefit from those who went ahead of me and wish to support those who will come after me or walk alongside me.”   Dr. Kalentzi is proud to be part of Imperial’s dynamic and internationally focused community. She describes Imperial alumni as “innovative” and believes in the power of creating the future rather than predicting it. Passionate about meeting students and fellow alumni, she looks forward to supporting research projects and initiatives that make a positive impact.   Could you be a pledger?   A gift of any size by an Imperial alumnus could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges while giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr   #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise #Inventedatimperial

Introducing our featured pledger of the month, Shrawan Patel, MD! 🌟🎓   Shrawan graduated with a degree in Medicine in 2015 from Imperial College London. During his time at Imperial, he was involved in many activities beyond his studies, including ICSM Hockey, IC Union Council, the IC Union Executive Committee, and serving as a Rector's Ambassador.   Looking back, Shrawan values the diverse and exceptional people he met at Imperial. He says, “Even though it wasn’t directly related to my degree, being around such a wide range of talented people helped me think more broadly and not be limited in my thinking.”   Shrawan admits that medical school had its challenges, but he emphasizes the incredible support he received. “There were ups and downs, but the pastoral care at Imperial was outstanding when I needed it.”   Some of Shrawan’s favorite memories include captaining the ICSM hockey team to victory at Varsity and co-hosting an art exhibition at the Blyth Gallery. He also enjoyed spending time at the Blyth Centre, exploring the exhibits and practicing music.   Currently, Shrawan juggles three roles. He is the co-founder and head mentor at PharmStars, a digital health accelerator. He is also building a venture fund to support this accelerator, and he is the Managing Director of Strategy Health, a consulting firm specialising in Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) products.   “The skills I developed at Imperial, like time management, handling multiple projects, scientific rigor, and striving to be the best, are crucial in my career. These skills continue to shape my professional life.” Shrawan advises current students to take their time and explore opportunities. “Life is long with many opportunities you haven’t seen yet. Don’t rush into decisions. Enjoy your time at Imperial, explore different opportunities, and broaden your horizons.”   Shrawan signed the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge because he believes in the power of alumni networks and the importance of giving back. “I want to provide the guidance and role models that were often missing during my early career.”   Could you be a pledger?   A gift of any size from an Imperial alumnus could help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges and give students the chance to do what they love. To learn more about the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr   #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise #Inventedatimperial   Imperial Enterprise Lab | Imperial College London | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise

Introducing our featured pledger of the month, Alex Bond! 🌟🎓 During his PhD in Chemical Biology of Health and Disease, Alex delved into the intricate world of cell membranes, exploring how alterations in their composition could impact cellular behaviour. But Alex's time at Imperial extended far beyond academia. Utilising all corners of Imperial’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, Alex embarked on a transformative journey with Fresh Check: Confirming Hygiene, a startup aimed at revolutionising hygiene verification systems. From participating in the Venture Catalyst Challenge and the Greenhouse Accelerator, to developing the prototype at the Imperial College Advanced Hackspace and scaling the business in the Imperial White City Incubator. Reflecting on his time at Imperial, Alex fondly remembers the camaraderie of his peers, the supportive guidance of mentors, and the thrill of winning competitions like the CDT Den. Yet, it was the invaluable lessons learned from setbacks and challenges, such as navigating the uncertainties of the pandemic, that truly shaped his entrepreneurial resilience and determination. As CEO of FreshCheck, Alex continues to lead with passion and purpose, driving forward the mission to make contamination visible and safeguard public health. His vision for the future encompasses a range of innovative tools aimed at enhancing hygiene practices and mitigating health risks on a global scale. But Alex's journey isn't just about personal success—it's about giving back. Motivated by the support and guidance he received at Imperial, he remains committed to nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. By committing to the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, Alex seeks to pay forward the invaluable mentorship and opportunities that paved the way for his own success. Alex’s advice to Imperial’s students is simple: “Take advantage of the environment around you. The support from Imperial is fantastic and it’s exciting to be involved in the startup world even if you don’t think you have an idea yet. It’s great to see other people’s ideas develop and learn about how ideation can actually be a process too.” Could you be a pledger? A gift of any size by an Imperial alumni could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges whilst giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise #Inventedatimperial   Imperial Enterprise | Imperial College London | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise Lab | Undaunted: Tackling climate change with innovation

Meet our Pledger of the month for March… Manos Halicioglu 🎉     Manos Halicioglu studied Applied Business Management at Imperial College London, graduating in 2009 . During his time at Imperial, Manos was deeply involved in various extracurricular activities, serving as the President of the Imperial College Business Society, Chairman of the Summer Ball and Head of Marketing and Sales at the International Student Organisation. Today, he is the CEO of Stockhub, a ground-breaking investment research platform with a mission to democratise access to financial insights.   Reflecting on his time at Imperial, Manos speaks of a transformative experience that went beyond the classroom. The university provided not just academic knowledge but also invaluable life lessons. Imperial taught him the importance of resilience, teamwork and innovation. His studies equipped him with a solid foundation in business principles, strategy, and management. This education provided him with the analytical tools and frameworks necessary to navigate the complex investment landscape successfully.   As the CEO of Stockhub, Manos leads a platform that has grown to serve 10,000 users, providing them with crucial financial insights. Manos's typical day involves a mix of strategic planning, team meetings and engagement with Stockhub's user community. He allocates time for research and development to ensure that Stockhub remains at the forefront of investment research innovation.    When asked about advice for current students, Manos emphasises embracing challenges as opportunities for learning. He suggests that networking and finding mentors within your field can provide invaluable insights and open doors. Manos's commitment to the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge is motivated by a desire to support and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. For him, sharing success and knowledge is crucial for fostering a community of innovation and collaboration.   Proud to be an Imperial alumnus, Manos highlights the world-class education and network of ambitious, talented individuals that make up the Imperial community. He describes Imperial alumni in one word: Innovators. This diverse network is united by a drive to challenge the status quo and make impactful contributions. Manos's favourite quote, "The best way to predict your future is to create it," by Abraham Lincoln, reflects his belief in taking proactive steps towards success.   Could you be a pledger? A gift of any size by an Imperial Alumni could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges whilst giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr   #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise   Imperial Enterprise Lab | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise | Imperial College Business School | Imperial College London

Meet February’s Pledger of the month… Alice Wainwright 🎉     Alice graduated with a Weekend MBA in 2021 from Imperial College London, covering subjects from innovation and entrepreneurship to data analytics and digital innovation. Outside of her studies Alice enjoyed exploring entrepreneurship, attending many Enterprise Lab events and running a monthly idea generation session called Idea Jam with fellow MBA peers.    Now, as the Co-Founder of RiSE coffee box, voted the UK’s no. 1 coffee subscription club, Alice is shaking up the coffee industry with a focus on responsible sourcing and giving back. She explains, "We don’t believe great tasting coffee should compromise the wellbeing of people or the planet, so we put those two things first in everything we do to help people feel better about getting their coffee kick. We call it Friendly coffee." In 2023, they launched their Friendly Coffee Fund, giving back 1% of revenue to tackle child labour in coffee farming communities.   Reflecting on her time at Imperial, Alice shares, "I learnt so much about teamwork and motivation. The best thing about the MBA was working alongside so many different brains from all walks of life. Whether it be finding new ways to communicate, building common ground, or coming at a problem from different angles, the level of commitment to teamwork was brilliant. Overall, I loved working with diverse teams and hearing new and unique perspectives."   When asked about her favourite place at Imperial, Alice enthusiastically points to the Enterprise Lab. "There is always a friendly face ready to greet you, interesting young entrepreneurs full of ideas and enthusiasm, and of course the coffee (which is ours) is the best on campus!"   Reflecting on her career, Alice shares her highlights, including being highly commended for the Woman of The Future Award in 2020, achieving a distinction in her MBA, launching Rise with her Co-Founder Ben, and winning the Imperial Dean’s Award in 2022. However, she also mentions a lowlight, losing her father, her inspiration in business, while running her company.   When asked about signing the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, Alice says, "Imperial does so much great work helping to give back to the business community, it was a no-brainer decision that we should follow suit and get involved."    Thank you, Alice, for sharing your inspiring journey with us. Welcome to our growing philanthropic community!   Could you be a pledger? A gift of any size by an Imperial Alumni could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges whilst giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr   #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise   Imperial Enterprise | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise Lab | Imperial College Business School | Imperial College London

Meet January’s Pledger of the month… Shiladitya Ghosh 🎉     Shiladitya undertook an MEng and PhD in Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London, graduating in 2016 and 2021 respectively, but admits that during this time he didn’t do much studying. Shiladitya spent his time in a range of student societies, taking on roles including Features Editor for the SU newspaper, Captain of the badminton team and giving tours of the College as a President’s Ambassador.     Shiladitya credits Imperial’s diverse community for inspiring him. “Being at such an international university, you’re surrounded by brilliant people who have unique ways of seeing the world. Simply by making friends from a range of courses and activities, there’s a great chance to expand your worldview, learn to do things differently, and to see more of the bigger picture.”     As well as this, Shiladitya credits his juniors at Imperial with inspiring him. “I come across juniors who squeezed in time to learn that sport I never tried, who work extra jobs just to keep up with living costs, who pursued that placement in 1st year while most would go on holiday. All while also maintaining better grades than me! Seeing their extra ambition and drive always motivated me to keep working harder and to keep developing myself; if they can do it, I have no excuse!”    After graduating from his PhD, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Europe, Shiladitya used the expertise he had acquired during his studies to co-found Mission Zero (we're hiring!) Technologies, a low-cost, modular, and decentralised technology for direct air capture (DAC) – a method of removing CO2 from the air around us.     Shiladitya explains why signing the Entrepreneurs’ Pledge was important to him: “In my time at Imperial, I saw so many talented peers not ending up in positions to make the most of the world-changing potential they had in them, because the opportunities were not there, or the access to resources were inadequate.    “Signing the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge is my way of committing myself to come back and help fill in those gaps, and to ensure the future success of scientific innovation in making a positive impact on the world.”    A huge thank you to Shiladitya for sharing your entrepreneurial journey. Welcome to our growing philanthropic community!      Could you be a pledger?     A gift of any size by an Imperial Alumni could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges whilst giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr        #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise      Imperial Enterprise | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise Lab | Department of Chemical Engineering | Imperial College London

Meet our featured Pledger for December! 👋👇 Debra Babalola graduated from the Innovation Design Engineering course in 2022, a Master’s programme delivered by the Dyson School of Design Engineering and the Royal College of Art. She co-founded Dotplot with her course mate Shefali Bohra whilst they were still students. They spotted a gap for a device to facilitate the early detection of breast cancer - which is critical given that 1 in 8 women develop breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. The pair set themselves the goal of creating a solution, and Dotplot (https://dotplot.co) was born! Their response involves a handheld device and mobile app which provides real-time analysis of monthly breast tissue readings to highlight any abnormalities. Dotplot won the prestigious James Dyson Award in 2022 and has secured two Innovate UK research and development grants. Their device was showcased at the Royal Society of Arts’ President’s Lecture to HRH The Princess Royal. Describing herself as an “unlikely innovator”, Debra credits her studies with showing her how to approach problem-solving in imaginative ways, and to avoid making false assumptions. Dotplot’s development process has involved hundreds of in-depth interviews across diverse customer groups to understand breast health monitoring needs, followed by comprehensive user testing. Learning how to draw insights from user research and translate these into technical requirements has been a valuable takeaway from her time at Imperial College London. Outside of the classroom, taking part in the “Venture Catalyst Challenge” provided Debra with a huge source of learning and personal development. Dotplot won Imperial Enterprise Lab’s leading entrepreneurship programme in 2022. Debra reflects: “I had no prior business experience, but I left the programme feeling equipped with a good understanding of what is required to get my startup off the ground. Getting to the finals was unreal; the whole night was a series of pinch-me moments. My mum always says it felt like being at the Oscars!” She concludes “We can’t tell Dotplot’s story without mentioning Imperial’s constant encouragement. Signing the Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge is a small token of my appreciation for all the College has done. Imperial’s students are well-placed to tackle so many different challenges facing humanity. It would be a privilege to play a part in supporting future innovators and leaders.” Could you be a pledger?   A gift of any size by an Imperial alumni could help accelerate progress in tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges whilst giving students the chance to do what they love and fulfil their potential. To find out more about Imperial Entrepreneurs’ Pledge, visit: https://lnkd.in/eTuEBMpr     #entrepreneurship #philanthropy #legacy #imperialmeansbusiness #enterprise    Imperial Enterprise | Imperial College London | Imperial Venture Mentoring Service (IVMS) | Imperial Enterprise Lab