Shell LiveWIRE

Shell LiveWIRE is a UK-wide enterprise scheme to help support young entrepreneurs (aged 16–30) into business.

Shell LiveWIRE is a Royal Dutch Shell Social Investment programme. It was launched in the Strathclyde area of Scotland in 1982, before being rolled out across the rest of the UK in 1985.^[1] The Shell LiveWIRE Awards are one of the longest established youth entrepreneur award schemes in the UK and boasts an inspirational alumni of winners. The programme has helped a ‘who’s who’ of well known entrepreneurs on their paths to success including the programme’s first winner, Stewart Graham of The Gael Force Group,^[2][3] Jamie Murray-Wells of Glasses Direct,^[4] Michael Korn of KwickScreen,^[5] Laurence Kemball-Cook of Pavegen,^[6] Richard Reed of Innocent Smoothies,^[7] and James Watt and Martin Dickie of BrewDog^[8]

Shell LiveWIRE offers two business awards; the monthly £5,000 Shell LiveWIRE Smarter Future Awards and an annual £25,000 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Smarter Future Programme Winners

The Shell LiveWIRE Smarter Future Programme launched in 2015 with aim of supporting start-ups that provide solutions to the UK's future transport, food, energy, or natural resource challenges, or make our urban environments cleaner and more sustainable places to work and live in.^[9] So far the programme has supported the following start-ups with £5,000 funding and mentoring opportunities:

• Daniel Roberts, Founder of BananaBerry, a business that turns surplus fruit and vegetables into smoothies^[10]
• Mason Holden, Co-Founder of urbanminded, the business behind BikeVault, a bicycle parking structure with a built in locking mechanism^[11]
• Solveiga Pakštaitė, Founder of Design by Sol, the business behind BumpMark, a bio-reactive food expiry label which indicates the conditions of food inside its packaging, reducing food waste^[12]
• Adam Meekings, Founder of Penumbra Power, a technology start-up committed to the reduction of emissions from vehicle exhaust gasses through their innovation, currently called ‘Pre-Treatment^[13]
• Maneesh Varshney, Co-founder of Naturosys, a company that creates organic fertiliser and fish feed from food waste^[14]
• Tom Robinson, Co-founder of Adaptavate, the business behind Breathaboard, a bio-based alternative to plasterboard which locks carbon into the fabric of buildings^[15]
• Thor Schuitemaker-Wichstrøm, Co-founder of CAVENTOU, a business that creates sustainable smart objects that use the property of colour to convert sunlight into energy^[16]
• Ravi Toor, Founder of Filamentive,^[17] a sustainable, 3D printing material brand looking to develop a 3D printer filament made from recycled plastic^[18]
• Adam Dixon, co-founder of Phytoponics, a agtech startup that developed a low-cost and scalable hydroponic growing system for commercial agriculture^[19].

Grand Ideas Award Winners

The Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards ran from 2009-2014 and awarded monthly £1,000 awards to innovative start-ups throughout the UK. Notable award winners include:

• Daniel Murray, Co-founder of Grabble, a fashion app that is revolutionising the shopping experience^[20]
• Laurence Kemball-Cook, Founder of Pavegen Systems, a business which has created paving slabs that harvest kinetic energy^[21]
• Arthur Kay, Co-founder of bio-bean, a business which turns used coffee grounds into bio-diesel pellets^[22]
• Ed Ward, Founder of Veglo, a business that is making cycling safer with its innovative Commuter X4 lights^[23]
• Michael Corrigan, Co-founder of trtl, the sleepscarf that makes travelling more comfortable^[24]
• Samuel Etherington, Founder of Aqua Power Technologies, a company that has invented a multi-axis wave power energy converter^[25]
• Jennifer Duthie, Founder of Skribbies, kids shoes that can be drawn on every day from new^[26]
• Amy Wordsworth, Founder of Good Bubble, a range of natural bath products for children^[27]
• Georgina Bullen, Paralympian and Founder of Team Insight, a company that uses the sport of Goalball to aid teambuilding^[28]
• Ben Allen, Founder of Oomph Wellness, a company that is revolutionising the care sector^[29]
• Dana Elemara, Founder of Arganic, a company that produces argan oil for the food and cosmetic industries^[30]
• Charlie Harry Francis, Founder of Lick Me I'm Delicious, the company behind 'edible mist' and 'instant logo pops', as well as their signature liquid nitrogen ice cream^[31]
• Jermaine Hagan, Founder of Revision App, an app that is helping students to improve their grades by up to 20%^[32]

Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winners

The Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award^[33] competition recognises and celebrates the achievements of the UK's finest young entrepreneurs. Previous winners include Jamie Murray Wells of Glasses Direct,^[34] Robert Matthams of Shiply.com,^[35] Ben Allen of Oomph Wellness,^[36] Daniel Murray of Grabble.^[37]

References

External links

• Shell LiveWIRE