Student entrepreneur Sharif Alvis has praised the unique entrepreneurial culture at the University after securing £135,000 investment for a business venture he has developed alongside his studies.
Sharif co-founded the Proofer social media management platform during his Master’s degree with support from the University’s Future Worlds incubator and its vast network of business mentors. Having matured the startup idea alongside social media guru Oshi Okomilo over the first two years of his Aeronautics and Astronautics course, he is now taking a year out to build and launch the platform with the backing of seven investors accessed through Future Worlds.
Sharif said:
When I first approached Future Worlds a year ago, I was seeking £10,000 of investment at a campus-based pitching competition. Their tutoring and advice has made me aim higher and secure over ten times this sum and it is incredible to think how far the business has come.
I feel really privileged to be part of a unique entrepreneurial culture that is growing at the University of Southampton.
Future Worlds is championing the innovative commercial opportunities being developed by researchers and students by providing exclusive access to events, support, and mentors with a global network of contacts. Over 20 University startups have benefited from the initiative’s unique entrepreneurial ecosystem in its first full year, with Sharif coming to the incubator’s attention when he entered last spring’s Dragons’ Den inspired pitching event.
Proofer lets users plan content and collaborate with freelance writers in an effective manner. For a single monthly fee, small to medium businesses can address all of their social media requirements without hiring a single person. Sharif is currently hiring developers and marketing experts to build the platform and has recently launched Proofer Beta.
For more information on Proofer, please click here.
