Page 10 - Perspective

10 CONNECTIONS

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ROBOTIC for tales of courageous
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PHYSIO WINS bit.ly/DareToTry

VARSITY PITCH

A robotic rehabilitation in partnership with Tata, saw
device that provides home seven budding entrepreneurs
physiotherapy for stroke pitch live at Digital Catapult
victims won this year’s in London to a panel of expert
Varsity Pitch Grand Final, judges from Tata, Swiss Re
securing £10,000. Institute, Ignite Accelerator
Imperial College and With PR.
London postgraduates The competition seeks
won the prize for their to find students or recent
start-up in a national graduates with the most
business competition. innovative, creative and
Stephanie Hodgson disruptive businesses. This
(pictured, far right) and year’s Varsity Pitch had
Motus Innovations reached over 300 applications. NACUE’s chief executive,
the final in the ‘digital and ‘To have our work at Holly Knower, says: ‘Stephanie ‘TO HAVE
technical’ category, sponsored Motus Innovations delivered an exceptionally OUR WORK
by the Rain Gods, with her recognised in such a way articulate and high-quality
technology, which utilises is truly humbling,’ says pitch, clearly demonstrating AT MOTUS
robotics, gaming and AI to Hodgson. ‘We are excited her passion and knowledge of INNOVATIONS
help stroke survivors recover to bring robotic rehabilitation the subject. Year on year, we
see an increase in the number RECOGNISED
on their own. solutions to stroke survivors,
The Varsity Pitch, run and winning the Varsity of young entrepreneurs who IN SUCH A
by NACUE (the National Pitch competition will are striving to create their WAY IS TRULY
Association of College and definitely help us on own careers and this year
University Entrepreneurs) that mission.’ was no different.’ HUMBLING’

LAST YEAR’S WINNERS:

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Last year, Aeropowder won the rolled off the line: ‘It was a great
Varsity Pitch competition with feeling... Suddenly, we had pallets
its proposal to turn feathers into of our material to work with, instead
sustainable insulation. Ryan of the small laboratory samples we
Robinson, co-founder, knew that were used to.’
the hard work had only just The company was also featured
begun: ‘We have learned so in the Forbes list of ‘30 Under 30
much in the past year, from the Europe 2017: Social Entrepreneurs’.
legal considerations of starting a Robinson concludes: ‘We are close
company to understanding how to to securing our first sales, so I’m
plan for manufacturing at scale.’ extremely proud of what we have
Co-founder Elena Dieckmann was achieved so far and I’m excited for
present when the first materials what is to come.’

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