Enterprising Business Studies graduate Paul Soanes returns to Kingston University to support budding entrepreneurs following in his footsteps
Posted Friday 13 March 2015
Worth Capital co-founders from left to right: Paul Ephremsen, Alex Johns, Matthew Cushen, Paul SoanesEntrepreneur and BA Business Studies graduate Paul Soanes returns to Kingston – without his books this time.
Paul is coming back as a judge for our Celebrate Enterprise awards, which celebrate successful entrepreneurship and enterprise at Kingston.
Paul is no stranger to enterprising ideas. Since graduating from Kingston University in 1991, he has gone on to have several adventures in business: "I've always enjoyed taking pretty big calculated risks," he says.
It's not just Paul though – he has teamed up with fellow Kingston graduates Paul Ephremsen and Matthew Cushen who he met at Kingston back in 1990 where their real entrepreneurial spirit was born.
They were all studying Business Studies and went straight on to set up their own respective businesses. Years later, they are three out of the four co-founders of Worth Capital – a company which aims to uncover and fund the very best new businesses and entrepreneurs operating in high growth sectors. They do this by organising high profile business competitions, supported by well-known media partners and judged by panels of sector experts.
Their latest competition, Future Gadget 2015, was aired last week on Channel 5's The Gadget Show, and is looking to attract hundreds of bright entrepreneurs with a great tech idea who are seeking funding and mentoring to bring their products to market.
The winning tech idea will receive up to £120,000 of crowdfunded investment into their business as well as £100,000 worth of TV advertising from Channel 5. Two runners up will each receive up to £100,000 of seed investment. All three winners will then enter into a two-year mentoring programme with Worth Capital to help launch their businesses.
This will be particularly attractive to Kingston students and alumni who have made Kingston the top producer of graduate start-up companies from a UK higher education institution for five years running.
Find out more about how you can help support current students at Kingston University.
