With 2025 rapidly approaching, we’re reflecting on the previous year and are showcasing the incredible achievements of our student and alumni community. While it was difficult to select only a few, we’ve compiled a list of our top ten highlights from 2024.
We would also like to take this time to thank our students for their tremendous hard work this year! We look forward to seeing all that you achieve in 2025.
imb alumna sara berkai named in the bbc’s 100 women 2024 list
Earlier this month, BSc Information Management for Business alumna Sara Berkai was featured in the BBC 100 Women list in recognition of her startup Ambessa Play. Published annually, the list celebrates inspiring and influential women from around the globe and focuses on 5 key areas: climate pioneers, culture and education, entertainment and sport, politics and advocacy, and science, health and technology.
After graduating from our IMB programme in 2018, Sara launched Ambessa Play, a social enterprise creating toy kits and workshops for children (aged 3-15) globally where, for every kit or workshop purchased, a disadvantaged child with low STEM capital receives one for free. This year’s theme focuses on resilience and celebrates the women who are pushing for change.
3 ucl school of management students named in forbes 30-under-30
In April, we received the incredible news that three UCL School of Management alumni were named in the Forbes 30-Under-30 list in multiple categories. Firstly, BSc Management Science alumna Clara Ricard has featured was named in the Finance category. A founding member of Transition, a European VC firm focusing on climate tech startups, Clara specialises in Seed and Series A investments.
Additionally, MSc Entrepreneurship alumnus Harry Bremner was named in the Retail & Ecommerce category in recognition of his startup Tuggs. A pet food provider offering insect-based food that’s tailored specifically for each dog’s needs and tastes, Tuggs expects to hit $1.5 million in revenue in 2024 and has raised over $1.7 million in funding. Finally, IMB alumna Sara Berkai was named in the Social Impact category in recognition of her for-profit impact startup Ambessa Play.
jocelyn chen and molly casey receive uclsom’s first-ever singhal awards
Earlier this year, UCL School of Management alumni and brothers Udit and Suchet Singhal launched a new award designed for exceptional undergraduate students at the School and we are delighted to announce that Programme Directors Andrew Whiter and Maya Cara selected Jocelyn Chen from our BSc Management Science programme and Molly Casey from our BSc Information Management for Business programme.
Jocelyn has recently graduated with First Class Honours, after taking the option of a year in industry with Samsung. Her final year dissertation was ‘outstanding’ according to markers and demonstrated an exceptional understanding of the complexities of business decision-making. Molly Casey, from our IMB programme, also graduated with First Class Honours and her final year enterprise project won the Best Enterprise Project award for its entrepreneurial and rigorous solutions. In recognition of their award, both Jocelyn and Molly will receive a handcrafted magnum of Champagne Challiol & Charmetant courtesy of the Singhal family.
msc entrepreneurship alumnae and double dutch founders receive the king’s award
In May, UCL School of Management alumnae and twin sisters Joyce and Raissa de Haas formally received the King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade in recognition of their startup, Double Dutch Drinks! Held annually, the King’s Awards recognise outstanding achievement by UK businesses and are the most prestigious award that can be granted to businesses in this country.
While studying UCL School of Management’s MSc Entrepreneurship programme in 2014, the sisters founded Double Dutch Drinks and their vision was clear: disrupt the market and redefine people’s expectations of mixers. Since their launch, the businesses has gone on to take the industry by storm, and the company have even seen a 10% investment from drinks giant Heineken. To celebrate their win, the duo were invited to 10 Downing Street to celebrate Food and Farming in the UK, part of the Farm to Fork Summit 2024, where they were joined by a number of leaders in the agricultural industry.
msc entrepreneurship students visit south korea for their annual trek
During the summer, 30 UCL School of Management students, along with Programme Director Simon Hulme, Lecturer Alina Kim and 2 School alumni, travelled to South Korea for the annual MSc Entrepreneurship trek. Throughout their 8-day visit, the group visited a number of international companies, including Adidas Korea and the British Chamber of Commerce, as well as exciting and innovative startups that are at the forefront of the Korean entrepreneurial space.
Kicking off the visit, students met Matthew Cho, Co-Founder of ETRNL Vault, a Seoul-based startup pioneering the fusion of fashion of fashion and augmented reality. The group also visited energyX, a business dedicated to green building innovation, and AI consultancy business Fountains. In addition to company visits, students also engaged in a number of fun activities to support their cultural and historical learning, including a Korean cooking class and a guided tour of Seoul. The group were also able to experience an insightful day trip with Simon Hulme to the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).
imb alumnus mihai marcuta raised $3.2 million for his tech startup
In February we learned that BSc Information Management for Business alumnus Mihai Marcute raised a staggering $3.2 million in a round of funding for his tech startup NodeShift. The startup is a decentralised cloud provider hoping to create a vital new space for businesses that prioritises infrastructure affordability.
The fundraiser saw investment from some of the industry’s leading firms, including Inovo Capital, Notion Capital, 10X Founders, Kestrel0x1, Arca, Oxford Seed Fund. Co-Founded with Andrey Surkov, NodeShift allows businesses to build and host secure applications affordably, with the goal of ensuring privacy, agility and scalability at an affordable price point. With more than 2,000 data centres connected to their platform across the globe already, NodeShift is well on their way to leaving a lasting impression on the industry.
3 ucl school of management alumni named in hurun uk’s under30s and under35s list
Every year, the Hurun Research institute releases its list of Under 30s and Under 35s in recognition of the young powerhouses who are helping the UK economy reach new heights. This year, we were thrilled to see 3 UCL School of Management alumni recognised on the list and, in total, 8 alumni from UCL featured.
Mario Maher launched Heat, a luxury online service, in 2019 alongside friend and co-founder Joe Wilkinson, with the duo witnessing their first 1,000 mystery fashion boxes selling out in just 20 minutes. Today, they sell boxes worldwide with support from some of the biggest brands in luxury fashion. Twin sisters Joyce and Raissa de Haas launched Double Dutch Drinks in 2015 and have taken the industry by storm. With their tonics and mixers sold through retailers in 24 countries worldwide, they have also won a number of awards, including ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ at the 2022 Business Champion Awards.
management science student kaito mizukoshi receives young leadership award
In March, BSc/MSci Management Science student Kaito Mizokushi travelled to Dubai for the Education 2.0 Conference, where he also accepted the Young Leadership Award. An annual three-day event that brings together and celebrates leaders, experts and pioneers in the world of education, this year’s Education 2.0 Conference explored the future of education in the midst of societal change.
Originally from Japan, Kaito relocated to London to begin his studies at UCL School of Management and quickly established his passion for supporting education. He became UCL’s official Japanese Ambassador and significantly contributed to a number of key initiatives, such as the UCL-Japan Youth Challenge in 2022.
msc entrepreneurship alumna ponk memoli receives £50,000 Innovate Uk grant
Earlier this year, Ponk Memoli was awarded the £50,000 Innovate UK Grant to support her architectural design startup, HTCH. The UK’s national innovation agency, Innovate UK supports business-led innovation across myriad industries, sectors and technologies across the country and encourages the development of life-changing innovations.
Discussing her incredible achievement, Ponk stated, ‘I’m thrilled to have Innovate UK on board. This grant comes at the perfect moment for HTCH, allowing us to make architecture more open and inclusive. It represents a giant leap towards achieving our vision of empowering individuals to understand and engage with their built environment.’
startup born out of ucl school of Management receives first round of investment
In August, UCL School of Management alumna Ina Jovicic and UCL Engineering alum Gaelic Jara Reinhold secured £240,000 in pre-seed funding for their tech start-up eNOugh. Founded in 2022, eNOugh is a business dedicated to enhancing personal safety, with its innovative AI-powered wearable protection badge. PurposeTech VC spearheaded this £240,000 investment with additional backing from several angel investors worldwide.
Shortly after graduating from UCL School of Management in 2022, Ina turned a deeply personal experience into the catalyst for launching eNOugh. The idea for the company emerged after she was mugged by a gang of four men while walking home alone, fuelling her determination to enhance personal safety. Despite the initial hurdles in securing pre-seed funding—an entirely new challenge for both Ina and Gaelic—their unwavering commitment to empowering individuals, particularly women, with greater safety resonated strongly with investors.
