The grand finale of the UEA Change Makers programme – now in its third year – returned to campus at the end of February. 

UEA Change Makers is a competition run by Student Enterprise and open to all current UEA students. Contestants must create, develop, and pitch business ideas that positively impact people and/or the planet. It brings together up to ten students with ideas focussing on a social or environmental problem. 

Designed to help UEA students turn their vision and insights into a reality, the Student Enterprise team brings expertise, funding and support to successful applicants through its vast network of professionals, industry contacts and academic influence. 

At the grand finale, each contestant is challenged to pitch to a panel of judges, with the winner receiving a further £3,000 grant to take their social enterprise to the next level. In addition, audience members can vote for ‘The People’s Winner’, which has a £1500 grant attached to it. 

This year’s judging panel included Dr Soraya Jones, the Royal Society’s Entrepreneur in Residence; Kevin Bardwell of Santander Universities UK; Samantha Fox of the Youth Stem Awards; and Dr Nicola Hancock from UEA. 

This year’s contestants included (in order of appearance) Adam Syed, with Mello – an app utilising AI to personalise help to manage anxiety; Alex Flude, with Reframe Cycling – a city cycling scheme mapping out safer commuter routes; Carole Taylor, with Taylor books – a range of books giving children the tools to understand and deal with family illnesses and issues; Declan Cobain with reading genie – an app that encourages young children to read; Irene Ferrara with Consciously. – a coaching-style app to help people shop and eat more sustainably; Jaz Brook with Youth Climate Solutions – a youth education programme to help empower young people and schools to tackle climate change; Dr Muti’ah Badru with SRHEd – a sexual health awareness programme for those living in conservative cultures; Oliver Wanless with Eco Toolkit – craft sets using pre-used materials whilst creating community; and Vanya Chellani with Belly Buddy – an app to help people avoid intolerant foods. 

And the winners are… 

The Judge’s choice: 

● Adam Syed – Mello 

Speaking exclusively to Concrete, Adam – a fourth-year medical student – described his highlights and turning points: “The UEA Change Makers programme was a transformative eight-week experience. As medical students or healthcare workers in the NHS, we often identify inefficiencies or areas of dissatisfaction with the services provided to our patients. However, action is rare – not due to a lack of concern but because we lack the skills to create businesses that could significantly improve our healthcare system. The UEA Change Makers Programme offers a comprehensive crash course in business creation, covering everything from identifying the purpose of starting a business to conducting market research and understanding our customers’ daily challenges. Not a moment felt wasted in these insightful classes. My gratitude goes to Finbarr and Sophie; without their unwavering support and dedication, Mello would have remained merely an idea in a notebook”. 

Asked how it felt to win this prestigious award, Adam said, “Being a medical student is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, a clear career path lies ahead, but on the other, it confines us to expected roles (like becoming a doctor). My interest in MedTech and entrepreneurship often faced scepticism, leading to self-doubt – a sentiment likely shared by many non-business students aspiring to start their own ventures. Winning this prize has validated my path and opened numerous doors for further developing my business.” 

Having won a £3000 investment with the award, Adam described how he planned to use this money; “Developing our app has been challenging. We plan to use the Change Makers 

investment to collaborate with local app developers. We are already working with former Apple employees on app mechanics, such as monetisation and gamification. Another critical investment will be in marketing, as reaching our target audience of individuals with anxiety may pose unique challenges”. 

The judging panel noted, “The need for a supportive, accessible intervention for people with anxiety and related issues was very well made”, adding, “Adam presented confidently and had thought carefully about some of the complex challenges involved in developing digital medical interventions. This was an impressive pitch!” 

The People’s Choice: 

● Vanya Chellani – Belly Buddy 

Vanya expressed how “The overall experience of the challenge was incredible”, adding, “We did run into some challenges, but thanks to the belly buddy team, my mentor and the program, we were able to overcome them”. Asked how it felt to be selected by the audience, Vanya said, “I was really honoured to win the People’s Prize and would like to thank everyone who voted for Belly Buddy. I enjoyed speaking to everyone at the event”. 

The judges commented, “Vanya presented a simple and publicly accessible solution to a difficult challenge with positive energy. People were easily able to understand the great potential of this idea; this led to her well-deserved People’s Choice award.” 

If you are a current UEA student and are interested in applying to the next UEA Change Makers programme, follow UEA Student Enterprise on LinkedIn/X. 

Image: Alan Bennett