Using technology for safer weightlifting

This is achieved through a range of workshops delivered by academic experts and industry partners, with weekly pitches to Loughborough University staff and volunteers allowing participants to gain top tips and make valuable connections with leaders from various organisations. Ultimately IDEA is helping budding entrepreneurs to create exciting, media worthy start-ups that will inspire future generations.

Gaurav has been an entrepreneur from a young age, selling handmade fidget spinners in school and then customised shoes in local shops. An international student from Ivory Coast, he wasn’t sure where in the world to study, applying to universities in Canada, the USA and Netherlands. After looking into UK universities and attending Loughborough’s Virtual Open Day, everything just clicked.

Gaurav was also impressed by the wealth of opportunities available across sport, the arts and entrepreneurship to name a few.

In his first year of university Gaurav took part in business challenges for students and found working in small teams to solve problems both interesting and enjoyable, sparking him to go on further. One instance involved presenting a marketing strategy for a ‘Year in Enterprise’ student creating a new milk alternative business.

Gaurav also took part in a ‘hackathon’ hosted by LU Arts and LSU Enterprise, coming up with new ideas in interdisciplinary teams before pitching to a panel of judges and coming in first place!

In addition he participated in a logistics challenge with Toyota, working with students from different University departments to solve some of the company’s logistical issues.

After learning about the IDEA programme, Gaurav was quick to sign up having already enjoyed working in interdisciplinary teams. Over the course of six weeks, the two teams were tasked with generating their own new business ideas supported by workshops on topics such as intellectual property and market research. Gaurav enjoyed that there were no set guidelines for the programme, giving teams the freedom and flexibility to do what they liked.

In week one the team had all sorts of ideas, ranging from a new type of compost to a silent hairdryer. After attending a session on open artificial intelligence (freely available software) they learned about technology that can scan the body. One team member suggested using this technology to track the form of weightlifters at the gym, and with all team members being regular gym-goers, this was the idea they just had to pursue.

Over the following weeks the team built their idea by investigating its feasibility through market research. This involved analysing the market size and demand, as well as speaking with personal trainers at Loughborough University’s gyms to ask what the technology looked like and how it could be useful for them. This allowed the team to define their target market, refine the product and develop a pricing model.

Gaurav found the weekly pitches to be the most rewarding part of the IDEA programme, especially after seeing a drastic improvement in his team from their first to last pitch. This was supported by a vocal coach delivering an in-depth session to improve their presentation skills, including how to manage their tone of voice and body language.

As well as perfecting his presentation style, Gaurav has developed many more skills and experiences thanks to IDEA. This includes confidence and communication when approaching people for primary market research purposes. Taking charge of the team, he also refined his leadership skills by working with those from different subject backgrounds that work in different ways, recognising each person’s needs and adapting his approach accordingly. Gaurav also learned that entrepreneurship isn’t necessarily something you’re born with, but that there’s a process and theory to it as well.

Gaurav’s team eventually want to see their idea become a reality as it hasn’t been done before and they’ve identified a clear need for it; they just need to find the best way of developing a working prototype in order to proceed further.

Now in his second year of university, Gaurav wants to restart selling custom shoes and clothing which he’d put on hold for a while, as well as working with a friend in Ivory Coast to set up a marketing agency. He will also be applying for placements this year in consulting, ideally to continue working in multidisciplinary teams.

As part of IDEA, Gaurav visited start-up hubs in London such as Plexal. A hive of hustle and bustle where everyone works on exciting new things, Gaurav realised that this is the environment he wants to be in, not necessarily creating the new ideas but tying the strings together to make the projects successful as he did during IDEA.

After attending a masterclass talk by a Loughborough graduate, Gaurav also learned that the UK is the best place for entrepreneurship due to the wide-ranging resources, grants, competitions, and venture capitalist firms ready to invest.