Finalists will compete in this year’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge showcase in March in a bid to win £10,000 (€11,750*)

Five young entrepreneurs have been named as finalists in the latest Young Entrepreneurs Challenge (YEC), an initiative launched by Verizon and Unloc. The challenge, now in its seventh year, aims to discover the business leaders of tomorrow by tasking young European entrepreneurs between the ages of 16 and 25 to devise a tech-led business idea that addresses a key industry or societal issue. 

This year’s challenge has brought to light a number of business models that tackle current sustainability and healthcare challenges including water restoration robots, biodegradable textiles from kombucha by-products, reforestation hexapod robots, a floating solar solution and a robotic glove for stroke rehabilitation. The team received over 100 competitive and innovative business ideas from a wide range of countries across Europe including the UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Greece, Slovakia, Turkey, Portugal, Austria, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Estonia and Poland. 

“Throughout the past seven years,  the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge has been a brilliant opportunity to discover young and promising talent across Europe. There is nothing like the imagination and innovation of a young mind. The YEC serves as a platform to help bring their ideas to life,” said Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager and Head of EMEA for Verizon Business. 

“Young entrepreneurs in Europe often face hurdles and scepticism in accessing funding and mentorship. Verizon Business is proud to play a small role in helping this next generation of tech leaders stay a step ahead in the industry, as they work to make a positive impact around the world.” 

“We are in an era where technological innovation is crucial for tackling complex challenges in sustainability, climate change, and health. Investing in the next generation of leaders and their ideas is essential to addressing these issues,” said Hayden Taylor, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Unloc. “Each year, we are amazed by the ingenuity of young entrepreneurs and are impressed to see the innovative ideas submitted for the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge.”

The five finalists will now compete head-to-head in a grand finale held in March 2025, pitching their business concept live to a panel of expert judges and invited guests representing both the worlds of business and education. The winner receives £10,000 (€11,750*), mentorship and a technology support package to help kickstart their business. In addition, the winner will also receive a ticket to attend the Global One Young World 2025 Munich Summit.

Each runner-up will receive £977 (€1175) to fund their start-up business, a personalised development plan that focuses on key priorities, and access to a series of masterclasses over the next year that will pair the finalists with various industry experts. 

Aleksandra aims to address the global environmental crisis of water pollution caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies. Her solution involves small, solar-powered robots that use wire meshes to collect harmful algae blooms, release oxygen through air stones to combat oxygen depletion, and utilise zeolite biofilters to absorb excess nutrients, thereby preventing further eutrophication.

The key selling point is its self-sustaining business model. The collected algae will be sold to businesses that convert them into biofuels and other sustainable products, creating a revenue stream to fund more robots. This approach not only restores aquatic ecosystems but also fosters sustainability and generates economic value.

Aleksandra’s solution also aligns with the UN SDG 14: Life Below Water, promoting ecological restoration and sustainability.

The precision reforestation market is projected to reach $9.77 billion by 2033, growing at a 5.74% CAGR, with high demand from the private sector. Recognising a billion-dollar opportunity, Marta developed Trovador, a reforestation robotics company that combats climate change by planting trees in hard-to-reach areas. Unlike drones, which have a low survival rate for seeds, Trovador’s hexapod robots plant saplings with a 90% survival rate. These AI-driven robots navigate challenging terrains like cliffs and slopes, ensuring effective reforestation.

Trovador’s unique hexapod design preserves essential soil conditions for sapling survival and operates autonomously, overcoming obstacles in real-time. This innovative approach supports sustainability by providing rural communities with a safe, efficient reforestation solution, aligning with several UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The service is quite simple and self-explanatory: clients select the planting site, the robot is deployed, and reforestation is monitored remotely. With just £2.5 (€3) per tree, Trovador is 30% more affordable than traditional methods, while excelling in speed, safety, and sustainability.

Solar Sub’s floating solar solution revolutionises renewable energy by placing solar panels on water bodies, maximising land use and harnessing natural cooling. This approach enhances system efficiency, increasing energy yield by up to 27% compared to traditional solar systems.

Solar Sub’s advanced cooling technology and optimal panel positioning improve efficiency and durability, reducing operational costs and extending the lifespan of solar installations. This innovation sets Solar Sub apart from competitors facing issues with panel overheating and degradation.

Sebastiaan adopts a licensing business model which allows rapid scaling without significant capital investment. This reduces upfront costs and risks, enabling us to focus on strategic partnerships. His model has gained traction with support from key industry players, confirming market interest and feasibility.

Exoheal addresses the global shortage of physiotherapists and the inaccessibility of effective therapy with a robotic glove and a machine-learning-powered app. This solution delivers personalised, real-time therapy, enabling stroke recovery from home. Early trials show a 50% improvement in recovery time compared to traditional methods.

Exoheal app connects patients with hospitals and clinics, allowing remote monitoring and real-time feedback. Its modular design and scalable production ensure affordability and the ability to meet global demand. By 2028, Zain and his team aim to transform 100,000 lives, saving governments $178 million in healthcare costs and enabling $16 million in inpatient earnings. 

As the 2025 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge applications begin to flood in, we thought we’d catch up with our 2024 Winner Ethan Waisberg to reflect on the process and how he found the whole experience.

The 2024 Grand Final event was held at Verizon’s Headquarters in Holborn, London, with leaders from across industry sectors gathering to witness our young hopefuls pitch their business ideas to our panel of judges, including ex Dragon’s Den star Piers Linney.

Ethan competed with strong contenders from across Europe to win £10,000, mentorship, a technology support package to help kickstart his business proposal, and a trip to the One Young World 2024 Global Summit. 

With a strong pitch and well defined business plan, Ethan talked about his product AngioGenius.  With eye disease screening programs worldwide not performing well enough and  millions around the world to going  blind, Ethan developed an app where anyone can take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression.  

From his research work with NASA astronauts, Ethan found a way to use Generative AI to allow the eyes of astronauts to be better monitored while in spaceflight, where limited imaging equipment exists. Ethan is bringing this same technology to Earth with AngioGenius at a fraction of the cost to current and widely used eye disease screening programs.

Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2024 Winner Ethan with his winners cheque!

Ethan, it’s so great to catch up with you following your 2024 win! Tell us, how did you find entering the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge?

The application process was really easy and straightforward. I didn’t need any support or advice during the process, as I just had to record a 60 second video explaining my idea. 

Once you found out you were a finalist, how did you find the experience attending the Grand Final?

During my train ride to London, I reflected on the exciting opportunity to be in the finals and pitch my company to a large audience. I arrived in London the day before the competition, so I was able to relax and explore the city. I was not nervous as I felt prepared.

The Unloc and Verizon teams were welcoming, supportive and they greeted me with warm smiles and genuine enthusiasm. They were dedicated to bringing out the best in the finalists, and created a friendly, less competitive atmosphere.

Was there anything that you were afraid of?

As a clinician and scientist, my biggest fear was that I might not be able to convey all the important aspects of my business idea within the allotted time for the pitch. 

As someone who has conducted research in this area for the past 5+ years, I had a wealth of detailed information to share with the audience and judges. Nevertheless, I was able to be concise during my pitch and prioritize key messages.

Ethan with his fellow Finalists, Unloc’s Hayden Taylor (left) previous winner Jamie Bankhead & Verizon’s Sanjiv Gossain (right)

What did you think of the other finalists and their business ideas? 

It was really exciting to meet the other finalists, and to learn about their interesting business ideas. It’s tough to pick only one idea that stood out from the other finalists, since they each had a lot of potential and were all very impressive. 

As I interacted with the finalists, I couldn’t help but admire the passion and creativity behind their business ideas.

How did it go when it was time to deliver your pitch to the Judges?

Overall, I was happy with how my pitch went. I felt that I was able to effectively communicate the value proposition and core ideas of my business idea and that I had captured the attention of the judges and audience. 

Moreover, the Judges asked insightful and thought-provoking questions, which challenged me to delve deeper into various aspects of my company and provide detailed explanations. I appreciated this opportunity to further elaborate on key points.

Ethan speaking on stage at the 2024 One Young World Summit, part of his prize package as Grand Prize Winner

How did you feel when you were named the winner? 

I was surprised and elated to be chosen as the grand prize winner! I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and validation for the sacrifices that I made along the way to reach this point.

What do you intend to do with the grand prize money?

I plan on using this prize money to conduct further clinical testing of my idea. Clinical testing is a crucial step to not only validate the safety and efficacy of my solution, but to also provide insights to further refine and optimize my business idea. 

What advice would you give to other young people out there considering entering the 2025  competition? 

My advice would be to not think twice about applying! Never doubt your abilities and ideas. I had entered the competition hoping to make an impact, and never imagined I would win.

Ethan thank you so much for catching up with us today, you were an absolutely outstanding entrant and a well deserved winner. We’ll be watching your progress closely and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do next!

The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2025 is now open for entries! If you’re 16–25 and have a fresh & innovative tech-led idea – The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2025 could help you get your business off the ground, or if you’ve already launched a business, boost it to the next level. 

There’s a staggering £10,000 up for grabs, as well as a mentorship package and entry to the One Young World Global Summit, so what are you waiting for? Apply now!

Our latest impact report for the 2023-24 academic year is now available! Inside you’ll find a whole wealth of information of the work we’ve been carrying out in schools and colleges across the UK over the past 12 months, as well as case studies, interviews and insights into the work and projects we’ve formed with young people and partners such as Verizon Business, Burberry, Juniper Networks, GRP Solutions and Palo Alto Networks.

Gain insight into the past year with stats such as:

There’s also coverage of the 2024 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, our Young Women in Tech programme, Inpsring Change, Portsmouth Inspires, One Young World, Seed 2030, school and college forums, Changemaker Moments, the release of the fantastic rap track to stand up against Knife Crime and Youth Violence, our General Election Special Events and a whole lot more!

Unloc 2024 Impact ReportDownload

Unloc and Verizon Business have launched The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge for 2025, an annual event that seeks to identify the best young talent across Europe with innovative business ideas.

The winner will receive £10,000 (€11,750*), mentorship and a technology package to launch their business. In addition, they will also receive a ticket to attend the Global One Young World 2025 Munich Summit.

This entrepreneurship competition for young people aims to encourage and attract the dynamic new business leaders of tomorrow. Now in its seventh year, the challenge is open to European entrepreneurs aged between 16-25 years old who can submit their technology-led start-up business concepts online.

“Each year, The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge identifies and brings to light amazing young talent from across the UK and Europe and it is a privilege to be able to help encourage and support tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” said Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager and Head of EMEA for Verizon Business. “Young entrepreneurs in Europe often face challenges related to accessing funding and mentorship, so to play a role in enabling their ideas to come to fruition and be presented on the global stage, is very important to Verizon Business.”

“We are in a landscape where technological ideas are becoming the clear catalyst for addressing and resolving some of the most complex challenges in sustainability, climate change and health, so investing in the next generation of leaders and their ideas plays a fundamental part in addressing these challenges,” said Hayden Taylor, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Unloc.

“Every year we’re overwhelmed with the business minds of young entrepreneurs and in a year that has been dominated by the advancement of emerging tech, we’re very excited to see the ideas that entrants submit for the next Young Entrepreneurs Challenge.

“2024’s winner, Ethan Waisberg, impressed the expert judges with his app, AngioGenius, which allows anyone to take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression. His research work with NASA astronauts and the integration of generative AI into the app was extremely impressive, and the funding from Unloc and Verizon will now enable him to carry out clinical trials and help reduce eye disease progression worldwide. We cannot wait to see what innovation young changemakers envision this year.”

Last year’s Grand Prize Winner Ethan Waisberg with his cheque for £10,000

To enter, entrants are asked to record a 60-90-second video, as well as complete an online application form outlining their business idea. Applications will be judged based on their viability, technology innovation and sustainability.

Finalists will then compete head-to-head in a grand finale held in March 2025, pitching their business concept live to a panel of expert judges and invited guests representing both the worlds of business and education.

Apply by January 17, 2025 at YEC25.COM

Notes for Journalists

This year’s 2024 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge was extra special for Unloc and our partners Verizon Business, as not only did we feature our most impressive finalists yet, we also launched an all new category for young people with the initial sparks of an idea! Concepts and business ideas come in all shapes and sizes, and whilst not every idea that gets submitted may be far enough along in its development to make it through to the final, we received so many high quality applications that we couldn’t let that talent pass by without doing something to help such inspiring young people take that first step to success. 

With this in mind we created a new Ignite Tier which was launched at this year’s Grand Final event in London. This new tier saw us selecting 5 lucky finalists to compete for a new Ignite Grant of £1000 / 1,200 € to kickstart their concept and ignite their business idea. 

We then opened up the vote online to allow people to vote for their three winners, with each receiving the funding to help kick-start their business idea. The votes flooded in, and three winners were announced! 

We’re thrilled to reveal that we and our partners Verizon Business have been shortlisted for not just one, but two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024! The first category is for the National Commitment to Skills & Training  Award,  something we’re hugely proud of as we roll out our skills focused programmes, workshops and bootcamps across the UK. 

The second is for the Philanthropy Award category, given to celebrate individuals and organisations who advance innovation, new solutions, and demonstrate meaningful progress in a community, association, or other nonprofit organisation.

Talent and opportunity in the UK is often mis-aligned, with young people growing up in the most challenging socio-economic communities facing life expectancies up-to 6 years below the national average and lifetime income earning potential up-to 40% below the national benchmark (such as Portsmouth). Our joint skills and training programmes are helping to redress this imbalance.

The outcomes described above are the combined results of the six bespoke and innovative programmes in entrepreneurship, leadership, career pathways and amplifying student voices, which are curated and delivered by Unloc’s expert youth-focused facilitation team, working in close collaboration with Verizon employee mentors, guest speakers and industry experts. 


AngioGenius’ Ethan Waisberg wins this year’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge and a £10,000 prize

What an event this year’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Grand Final was! Year upon year the competition grows in scale and reputation, attracting ever more impressive young people from across Europe. This year’s event was held at the stunning V Suite in our partner Verizon’s Headquarters in Holborn, London, with leaders from across industry sectors gathering to witness our young hopefuls pitch their business ideas to our panel of judges, including ex Dragon’s Den star Piers Linney.

Our young finalists preparing their pitches before the start of the grand final event. From left to right: Theodor,
Ethan, Devi and Kolatat. Fifth finalist Mariia from the Ukraine joined the event live by video link.

After some amazing and impressive pitches, and much difficult deliberation from the judges, Ethan Waisberg has been revealed as the winner of  the 2024 Verizon/Unloc Young Entrepreneurs Challenge. Ethan competed with strong contenders from across Europe to win £10,000 (€12,000), mentorship, a technology support package to help kickstart their business proposal, and a trip to the One Young World 2024 Global Summit, which brings together many of the brightest young leaders from over 190 countries.

The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, now in its sixth year, tasks young people between the ages of 16 and 25 to devise a tech-led business idea that enriches and benefits the planet. This year’s challenge  uncovered solutions, including a new bladeless hydro generator, a hybrid sunlight system that utilises advanced optics with a sun-tracking mechanism, and Generative AI technology to improve eye disease screening programs. 

Our amazing finalists Devi (far left) , Kolatat, ex-Dragon’s Den ‘Dragon’ and entrepreneur Piers Linney, Theodor
and Ethan (far right). Fellow finalist Mariia joined the event live via video link from the Ukraine

This year the contestants pitched to an esteemed panel of expert judges including:

Sanjiv Gossain, Head of EMEA, VerizonBusiness
EllaRobertson-McKay, ManagingDirector, One Young World
Piers Linney, Former investor on Dragons’Den, Co-founder: ImplementAI,Adviser & Speaker
Jamie Bankhead, Previous YEC Winner & CEO ofKonglomerate Games
JohnWilliams, MarketingDirector & CMO – EMEA,APAC & LatAm, Verizon

With a strong pitch and well  defined business plan, Ethan won this year’s competition with his product AngioGenius.  With eye disease screening programs worldwide not performing well enough and  millions around the world to going  blind, Ethan developed an app where anyone can take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression.  From his research work with NASA astronauts, Ethan found a way to use Generative AI to allow the eyes of astronauts to be better monitored while in spaceflight, where limited imaging equipment exists. Ethan is bringing this same technology to Earth with AngioGenius at a fraction of the cost to current and widely used eye disease screening programs.

“I’m extremely impressed with all the other finalists and I feel honoured to be here and  to have won,”said Ethan Waisberg, Founder, AngioGenius “I’m really excited as this funding will enable us to carry out clinical trials and help reduce blindness worldwide.  I’m also excited by the  support and  mentorship being offered by Verizon and Unloc to help my company take the next steps to growth” 

Unloc’s Managing Director Hayden Taylor, Ethan, Devi, Kolatat, Theodor, previous Young Entrepreneurs Challenge
Winner Jamie Bankhead and Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager & Head of EMEA for Verizon Business

Each runner-up receives £1,000 to fund their start-up business, a personalised development plan that focuses on key priorities, and access to a series of masterclasses over the next year that will pair the finalists with various industry experts. We also provided Mariia with entry to the One Young World Summit in Montrèal, Canada by way of making up for the fact she was unable to travel to the UK from Ukraine and attend the Grand Final in person.

We’ll be watching these inspiring young people closely to follow all their progress and developments as they start their careers, paving the way for fellow young entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps. Follow us on our social channels to keep up with their progress and career developments!

Team YEC 24 – making it all happen behind the scenes. From left: Stephen Woodward,
Abi Roberts, Kerry Maguire, Tracey Parker, Ryan Waters & Stuart Taylor Cameron

.

Unloc and Verizon Business have launched the annual Young Entrepreneurs Challenge for 2024. Now in its sixth year, the challenge is open to European entrepreneurs aged between 16-25 years old, who can submit their technology-led start-up business concept online. 

The winner will receive £10,000 (€12,000*), mentorship and a technology package to launch their business. In addition, they will also receive a ticket to attend the Global One Young World 2024 Montréal Summit.

This annual European entrepreneurship competition for young people aims to encourage and attract the dynamic new business leaders of tomorrow.

“This year’s competition is gearing up to be our biggest and best yet, and we’re so excited to see the ideas of young people from across Europe as they tackle important global issues such as climate change, sustainability and the health sector” said Hayden Taylor, Managing Director of Unloc. 

“Every year we’re so impressed with the business minds of young entrepreneurs, and this year there’s even more opportunity for entrants with a great idea that needs nurturing, as well as those with a more developed plan. Last year’s winner, Olivia Simpson, absolutely blew us away with her foresight and vision for a medical industry that’s conscious of the materials it uses, and her idea to replace single use plastics with compostable alternatives. We cannot wait to see what innovation young changemakers envision this year.”

“Every year the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge uncovers amazing young talent from across Europe and it is a privilege to be able help encourage and support tomorrow’s innovators” said Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager and Head of EMEA for Verizon Business. “It is inspiring and reassuring to see youthful and bright minds focus on building businesses that will tackle social, community and sustainability issues.”  

To enter, entrants are asked to record a 60-90 second video, as well as completing an online application form outlining their business idea.

Applications will be judged based on their viability, technology innovation and sustainability. 

Finalists will then compete head-to-head in a grand finale held in February 2024, pitching their business concept live to a panel of expert judges and invited guests representing both the worlds of business and education.

.

Winner of the Young Entrepreneur Challenge 2022 – Olivia Simpson

.

Our inspirational Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2023 Winner Olivia Simpson

.

Last year’s winner was the inspirational 21 year old Olivia Simpson. Her start-up SymbioTex is developing single use plastics for the medical industry such as inhalers, COVID tests and pregnancy tests that are home compostable. Currently these types of devices are made of non-renewable materials and at the end of their life go to landfill or incineration – creating harmful byproducts such as microplastics. 

Olivia aims to licence their technology to current medical device manufacturers, something that would transform the medical sector and its sustainability. Symbiotex are now working closely with the NHS and making great strides, a true testimony of the young talent that the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge helps discover.

.

Olivia has some advice for anyone thinking of applying: “I’d urge anyone who is considering entering to not just consider. Apply! Being in the final was a huge opportunity for us and our concept. The Unloc team were incredibly supportive, both in the run up to the day and on the day itself.  All the Unloc staff went above and beyond and were incredibly friendly and supportive, they made me feel really prepared. Never have I felt so empowered at a competition by the other finalists and the staff – it really was a great day. My top tip would be to get your passion across. You never know the next winner could be you.”

.

For more information on the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge click here!


.

About – Unloc

.

Unloc was founded in 2013 by award-winning young leaders Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling. The organisation’s mission is to empower young people to be innovative changemakers who seek to build stronger communities and sustainable businesses. The organisation is focused on developing young people’s skills, enhancing their potential and boosting their determination to succeed. Unloc works towards achieving its mission by delivering inspiring educational programmes, including on entrepreneurship and self-employment, in our network of 100+ schools and colleges in the UK and beyond.

To find out more about Unloc and all our latest news visit: unloc.org.uk/news

.

About Verizon

.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.

.

For more information on the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge click here!

.

This past year has been by far our biggest and most impactful yet! We’ve worked relentlessly to grow the reach of our programmes and deepen their impact, whilst developing our ability to influence education, government and businesses to invest in young people as changemakers.

As part of this, we’ve doubled down on our belief that every young person can be a changemaker, you just have to find the lens or opportunity that most resonates for them. It could be through the career they choose, the business they set up, the difference they make in their community, or even simply through their presence in school, college or the workplace.

Our annual Impact Report provides an overarching view of the past 12 months for Unloc, celebrates our 10 year anniversary, and takes an inside look at some of the many programmes, courses and events we’ve delivered this year in over 200 schools and colleges across the UK.

It provides insight to our Europe wide Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, our partnerships with leading non-for-profits and charities, as well as the focused work to create a generation of young changemakers with our amazing Changemaker Alliance partners Verizon Business, Burberry, and GRP Solutions Ltd. Most importantly we hear real lived-experiences from the young people themselves in their own words.

Don’t worry though, at Unloc – we don’t ‘do dull’, our report is a vibrant visual collective of experiences and moments from the past 12 months that we want to share with you. Click below to download it now.

Open The Report Now

.

Unloc Impact Report 2023Download

.

It’s hard to believe that a decade has now flown by since we first set up Unloc as teenagers, when we look back at our journey and how it all began it doesn’t even feel real to be honest. We’re incredibly proud of the difference we’ve made to the lives of young people over the past ten years, impacting upon their confidence, finding their voice, their skills and unrealised talents, their ability to debate and campaign, their entrepreneurial spirit, and empowering them to go out into the world and make a real difference.

.

.

Both of us have humble working class backgrounds, we were just 16 and 19 when we founded Unloc back in 2013, and it came about because it was a time when educational services had been stripped back immensely by funding cuts in the sector. There just simply weren’t enough opportunities, support or in-roads for young people to access. As students ourselves we found it incredibly difficult to have a voice or a say in the world around us – the public’s perception of young people seemed to be that they’re ‘in-training’ to be adults, and thus don’t have anything tangible to currently offer to society. We knew that was just plain wrong. Both of us had an active interest in democracy and politics, as well as social action and personal development – it was how could we use those interest and skills to improve the situation.

At the time both of us headed up rival Youth Forums, with one of us the Chair of the Council of Portsmouth Students and the other the Chair of Portsmouth Youth Parliament. In 2013 the local council stopped funding the Council of Portsmouth Students, which at the time was terrible news, devastating in fact, but looking back now in retrospect – we realise that this one action was the catalyst for everything that’s happened for us and Unloc since.

.

.

We decided to take matters into our own hands and find our own way to keep the forum alive – and keep the voices of young people heard. We did just that, and ten years later that forum is still running and bigger and better than ever. We take immense pride in seeing that forum flourish and grow, knowing that it wouldn’t be here now if it weren’t for our determination.

We gained so much satisfaction from the success with the forum, and the way in which we worked and supported each other that we asked ourselves ‘what else can we do? How do we take this further?’ It motivated us in all honesty, it gave us a drive and a passion, how dare they take that away from us! We achieved something from that, a feeling that, despite the odds, and despite the governmental funding being pulled WE did it, WE made that change. What other changes could we make? And what changes could other young people like us make with the right support?

The trouble with traditional education is it doesn’t teach you very much about the real world when it comes to paying bills, earning an income, voting, paying taxes, dealing with finances, we were incredibly naive looking back. Surely school is aimed at preparing you for the real world out there? There’s no point sending someone out with the knowledge of how to use algebra, speak three languages or chemistry if you have no idea how to work out a budget, pay a bill, get a job or complete a tax return. Why was there this immense gap in skills?

.

.

It motivated us to enable other young people to learn key skill, be inspired to become entrepreneurs, become leaders and, a word which we use every few sentences these days, one that’s become part of our legacy, our brand and our narrative – be young ‘changemakers’.

Thanks to £300 (it seems like such a small amount now, but to us at the time it was huge!) from a the O2 Think Big project which aimed to help a million young people develop skills and lead community projects, we used it to launch and build Unloc! We actually found that traditional forms of education had been a little stifling to us in all honesty, it usually involved being sat and listening to how someone else did something, what someone else thought, what someone else invested in or believed.

The difference having an idea, and your own voice, the opportunity and space to use it, and a little money in your pocket to put behind it – well that was a game changer. What if other young people had that same opportunity? What could they achieve too?

.

.

We wanted to get more involved with how young people’s minds work, how they grow, not just in knowledge, but in access to opportunities. So Unloc was born, our non-for-profit social enterprise aimed at providing young people to the support, skills, advice and opportunities that can be so sorely lacking in the education sector. We also wanted a level playing field, where any young person from any background, culture, income or lack of funding could get the same opportunities as anyone else. A place for young people to be their best and true selves, giving them a voice, an in-road to democracy and how to use it.

.

Ourselves with Steve Frampton, someone who has become a huge supporter and friend throughout the past 10 years of Unloc

.

It wasn’t easy either, starting out. I laugh now about the time in the beginning that I phoned a school and spoke to the Headteacher, trying to explain to him who we were and what we could do for his students. He put me on hold, or least he ‘thought’ he did, and I heard him refer to me as ‘that little boy in the suit’. That stung, that really stung. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, it really took the wind out my sails – but it also highlights why what we do is so important, because young people aren’t taken seriously. I take satisfaction today knowing all we’ve achieved and just how wrong he was to underestimate us.

.

.

In ten years we’ve built a strong team of facilitators and professionals, working in schools and colleges across the UK with thousands of young people every single year. We now have two physical Changemaker Studios spaces in London and Portsmouth, with a reach across the entire country, a wide offer of course, programmes and events, a range of amazing and impressive partner organisations who bring so much to the table in terms of experience, skills and inspiration for the young people we work with.

.

Our newest Changemaker Studios space in London’s Westminster

.

A European wide competition annually that provides young entrepreneurs with funding to invest in their business idea, as well as mentorship and support for their start-up, an annual festival event for Student Governors, a new digital opportunities platform in the works, small seed-funding grants for young people with a business idea or community project, and recently we launched our new Unloc Changemaker Alliance in partnership with Verizon Business, Burberry and GRP Solutions, starting a network of businesses dedicated to creating impactful change and a level playing field for young people.

.

This year’s Young Entrepreneurs Challenge Grand Finalists with our Winner Olivia Simpson & Lorraine Stockle from Verizon Business

.

When I assess all we’ve achieved over the past ten years, it’s hard to believe how far we’ve come based on a spark of an idea and £300! It comes down to passion and a desire to really make a difference, to really believe in what you’re doing. Hard work and money will get you so far, but to break through that barrier and really make an idea successful you have to have passion and a belief in what you do.

.

At the Burberry British Diversity Awards this year with Tony Judd and Xavier White, two amazing people from Verizon Business who’s continued support has allowed Unloc to offer so much to young people

.

When we look at the amazing team of people we have built our team with, we’re incredibly blessed to have crossed paths and recruited such an amazing group of passionate and talented people, each and every single one believe in our aim to improve the lives, opportunities and rights of young people just as much as we do, and that’s integral to our success and why our programmes and events have such a strong impact.

.

Our amazing Unloc team surprised us with a 10 year celebration, we couldn’t do it without you!

.

Our team aren’t there just there to ‘earn a wage’ – they really care and believe in what we do. We have team members from a wide variety of backgrounds, communities and cultures. They really care in the potential in each and every young changemaker we engage with. They also delight in raiding our image bank and finding atrocious old photographs of us with dodgy haircuts to celebrate our ten years (and scathingly torture us with). Seriously though, we appreciate each and every one of you and all your bring to the team.

.

With the amazing team at Burberry at their London Headquarters

.

Thank you to everyone that has, and does work with us, team, partners, funders, schools, local authorities, politicians and government, fellow non-for-profits, guest speakers. community organisations, investors and philanthropists alike – thank you. You’ve enabled us to make such a difference in the lives of young people, from their esteem and self-confidence, to their access to skills, support and training, to their equal rights and freedoms, to their ability to learn and engage with new opportunities. What you’ve done has made a real and tangible difference in the lives and future careers of tomorrow’s generations.

.

.

We’re incredibly blessed, and we can’t wait to see what the next 10 years brings for Unloc, we hope you’ll continue to stay with us on that journey. With all our love and thanks

Ben and Hayden

Download our free changemaker toolkit