Joy Brett
Flare 2024 Finalists
Our enterprise ideas challenge, Flare, is a highly competitive annual competition that gives Herts students and alumni entrepreneurs the support and training they need to bring their business ideas to life, no matter how far along they are in development.
The winner of the People's Choice and our highly coveted award categories will be announced at a celebratory awards presentation and networking event on 26 June 2024, at the Enterprise Hub.
2024 Flare Winners
- Healthcare and wellbeing £3,000 – Padmavathi Valluri – Nutribox
- Breakthrough science and technologies £3,000 – Olesya Zgonnik – Cool Flush
- Creative entrepreneurship £3,000 – Joy Brett – Eureka Creative
- Impactful entrepreneurship £3,000 – Sarah Goldsmith – Well-You
- Engineers in Business Fellowship £1,000 – Alen Sony Joseph – Gamsity
- Flare entrepreneur of the year £2,500 – Josep Navarro and Moritz Laas – Uverd
- People's choice – £2,500 - Sree Palleboina - VASTRA
Meet the finalists
School of Creative Arts
Business name: Eureka Creative
Eureka Creative is a Creative Media Agency that empowers small businesses, emerging filmmakers, and new talent to master the art of storytelling. Offering social media management, marketing, copywriting, photography and video production services to help clients craft compelling narratives that inspire audiences and drive change, we hope to expand and begin offering mentorship to young professionals and those looking for a career change.
Josep Navarro and Moritz Laass
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business Name: Uverd
At Uverd, we are committed to transitioning to an economy based on natural regenerative assets like healthy soils and robust ecosystems. Our monitoring technology offers a much-needed ecological dimension for agriculture. By creating healthier and safer environments we can dramatically improve soil integrity, crop yield, and nutrient density and leverage our rich plant genetic heritage.
Sree Palleboina
Hertfordshire Business School
Business Name: VASTRA
VASTRA bridges India's rich textile heritage with contemporary fashion. Our ethically sourced, handcrafted garments empower you to showcase cultural pride with modern elegance. By supporting skilled artisans, we create luxurious, sustainable clothing that tells a story of tradition and innovation. Experience the art of cultural fusion with VASTRA.
Sarah Goldsmith
Hertfordshire Business School
Business Name: Well-You
Well-You is a mental health support service that empowers service users to recover through person-centred, holistic, and integrated solutions. Founded by a neuroscience and psychology expert with lived experience working with the NHS and Mental Health charities, Well-You bridges gaps in understanding, tackling issues like isolation and day-to-day living challenges. Together, we redefine recovery.
Olesya Zgonnik
School of Creative Arts
Business Name: Cool Flush
Cool Flush is a portable, discreet necklace that provides instant, drug-free cooling at the push of a button. Designed for use in various contexts, it helps women manage menopausal symptoms and enhances daily routines with a customisable and flexible solution for well-being.
Alen Sony Joseph
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business Name: Gamsity
Gamsity revolutionises education with gamification and AI-driven personalisation. Addressing a projected $8.5 trillion loss by 2030, due to skill shortages and the need to build two universities daily for 15 years to meet demand, Gamsity offers scalable, engaging, and accessible education, ensuring learners reach their full potential.
Meriem Gueffal
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business Name: DEIJ
DEIJ is an online platform that matches early to mid-career professionals for flexible lunch break meetups focused on networking and mentorship. It aims to tackle common challenges such as career progression and stepping into leadership roles by facilitating meaningful connections and mentoring opportunities within the same geographical area, supporting professional growth and inclusivity.
Mohamad Khir Allah and Bailey Bellenie
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business Name: Vox Optic
At Vox Optic, we are tech enthusiasts striving to make the world a better place. We develop AI-powered sunglasses, branded as VoxAI, to provide real-time conversation captions for individuals with hearing impairments. Using advanced AI, VoxAI transcribes spoken words into text instantly, promoting inclusivity with a stylish, affordable solution for seamless communication.
Aman Tripathi
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business name: Holiest
Holiest seamlessly integrates traditional Hindu spiritual practices with modern technology, providing virtual prayers, prasad delivery, and connections with local priests and yoga gurus. Catering to devotees worldwide, our digital sanctuary uniquely combines religious services, a marketplace, and a community forum, fostering cultural roots and mental well-being in a connected world.
Padmavathi Valluri
Hertfordshire Business School
Business Name: Nutribox
I am Padmavathi Valluri, a registered nurse and an MBA Healthcare graduate from the University of Hertfordshire. As a registered nurse, I am very much into a holistic health approach in medical settings. I have observed that while patients receive various treatments, they often lack nutritious food tailored to their needs. To fill this gap, I want to introduce Nutribox.
Chloe Cooper
School of Creative Arts
Business Name: Wyrmbound
Wyrmbound is an interactive and gamified reading challenge app that aims to help users tackle their ‘to be read’ piles and bucket list books. Explorable dynamic maps and story recaps aid in coming back to the narrative time and again, to complete the journey and earn rewards. We aim to provide accessibility for all with evolving research and partnerships.
Raphael Chryslar
School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science
Business Name: SSPX Ltd
SSPX Ltd is a new publishing company that specialises in one-of-a-kind illustrated encyclopedia books in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, such as heavy industry, engineering marvels, and popular science. It aims to create an intuitive and mesmerising reading and learning experience that replaces dull and cumbersome textbooks.