Student Entrepreneurs Win Over 拢2,000 in Pitching Competition
Three University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 student founders have been crowned winners of MEC鈥檚 Get Pitching Competition, celebrating some of the most innovative and impactful new business ideas emerging from across campus.
Jacob Katz (BSc Management: Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship), Nikitha Anbuchitra Shanmugasundaram (postgraduate student in the Department of Computer Science), and Zahra Bhatti (MA International Political Economy) secured over 拢2,000 to continue their business journeys in MEC鈥檚 latest Get Pitching competition.
Get Pitching, a live pitching event organised by the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC), is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs build confidence, refine their ideas, and present their pitches to a judging panel.
Students from a wide range of disciplines attended, both to pitch their ideas and to be inspired from the audience. Throughout the afternoon, ideas showcased sectors including sustainability, wellbeing, and digital innovation.
The judging panel was led by MEC鈥檚 team: Mohamed Abbas (Venture Builder Manager), Daniel Syder (Ecosystem Manager), and Louise Taylor (Enterprise Manager).
First Place: Jacob Katz (Loc鈥檇 鈥� 拢1,000)
Jacob Katz, a BSc Management (Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship) student, secured 拢1,000 for his business Loc鈥檇. A wall-mounted bike storage station designed to protect the whole bike while maximising space on campus.
Jacob鈥檚 idea for Loc鈥檇 has been developed over the last few weeks, including through MEC鈥檚 three-week Intensive Launchpad programme, where Jacob spent time refining his concept and business model.
Jacob shared: 鈥淢EC has been extremely helpful while trying to start Loc鈥檇! Get Pitching was just what I needed to build my pitching confidence and to learn what my idea was lacking鈥�.
Second Place: Nikitha Anbuchitra Shanmugasundaram (LexanaAI - 拢750)
Nikitha Anbuchitra Shanmugasundaram, a postgraduate student in the Department of Computer Science, secured 拢750 for LexanaAI.
LexanaAI is an intelligent and explainable contract-analysis platform using patentable AI to detect and quantify unfair or risky clauses.
Third Place: Zahra Bhatti ( V茅a - 拢500)
Zahra Bhatti, an MA International Political Economy student in the School of Social Sciences, secured 拢500 for V茅a, an AI-powered emotional mental wellness app helping women uncover and understand their thoughts, triggers and behavioural patterns.
Zahra shared: 鈥�The support from MEC is unparalleled and really gives me a lot of confidence to launch my business further. A lot of successful businesses come out of UoM and MEC plays a big role in this. Events like Get Pitching are so useful, it really helps to both practice and hear other pitches to get inspired. I went in not knowing what to expect and came out with great feedback and a win! Getting 3rd place is a cherry on top and a real confidence boost. From here on, it鈥檚 really about keeping the momentum up for V茅a, which includes developing the app into IOS and android stores, collaborating with academics and conducting more events to keep traction up!鈥�
To learn more about V茅a or join the waitlist, visit .
About the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre:
The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 dedicated hub for enterprise and innovation, supporting students at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey. Based within Alliance 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Business School, MEC helps students explore ideas, test assumptions, develop business models, and launch successful ventures.
MEC works with students from all disciplines, encouraging creativity, confidence, and real-world learning. More events like Get Pitching will continue throughout the academic year, helping to spark entrepreneurship and empowering students across the university to take the first step in their business ventures.
Students interested in getting involved can explore upcoming programmes and opportunities by visiting the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre website or following MEC on social media.
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