Five businesses founded by Bournemouth University graduates have been given a boost with a scale-up grant from Santander.
The BU Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund was launched earlier this year through BU’s partnership with Santander. Graduates now running their own business were invited to apply for a portion of the £15,000 fund by explaining how the money would help them to grow.
Jen Diner, founder of Vivid Digital and team
After reviewing a high number of applications, the judging panel announced the following businesses as the winners:
- Back of the Net, a community-based content provider for a Premier League club; funding to invest in new equipment
- Esports News UK, an online publication dedicated to UK esports; funding to hire new freelance writers to expand content for consumers
- Loco Lime, a Mexican-inspired street food takeaway business; funding for new kitchen equipment to increase capacity and geographical spread
- Inferno Studios, a development studio specialising in VFX for games; funding for marketing and networking
- Vivid Digital, a social media marketing agency; funding for business promotion and staff development
Declan Paul, founder of Inferno Studios, said: “As a new business, receiving support from the Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund means a great deal. It allows us to explore new opportunities that would have been challenging to pursue otherwise and helps accelerate our growth.”
Dom Sacco, founder of Esports News, said: “Giving back is a huge part of why I do what I do. It's important to inspire and give a platform to the next generation of journalists, and esports journalism is one area that needs support right now. It means a lot to me because I know it will matter to the writers that I am able to pay on a freelance basis, giving them more opportunities, experience, and a platform to share their work.”
Sam Davis, founder of Back of the Net, said: “As a side-project that has potential to become a standalone business, being selected gives us the validation that our project is not only going in the right direction, but also gives us vindication that there is potential to grow the project into something that can is beneficial to not only us, but also the community that engages with us.”
Jen Diner, founder of Vivid Digital, said: “I am thrilled to have been awarded this funding from Santander to invest in my digital marketing business. It allows us to take significant steps forward in enhancing our services, expanding our reach, and improving our operational capabilities. With this financial boost, we are well-positioned to implement advanced marketing strategies, acquire cutting-edge tools, and provide even greater value to our clients. Support from competitions like this validates our hard work, boosts confidence, and provides valuable networking opportunities. It accelerates business growth and allows us to take calculated risks for substantial rewards.”
Remy Foucher, Relationship Director at Santander said: “At Santander, we recognise the crucial role that entrepreneurs play in building and strengthening the UK economy. We support the innovators of the future at every stage of their journey, connecting them to the support they need to grow their business ideas. I look forward to continuing to follow the progress of all the businesses receiving funding through the BU Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund.”
Find out more about the support available to early-stage businesses from Santander by visiting the Santander X platform.
