GEW: Ambitious Entrepreneurs

In celebrating entrepreneurs, we are marking Global Entrepreneurship week with our 'one off' speaker event.  Presenting Four Ambitious Entrepreneurs, three exciting brands:

Matt Kepple

Matt Kepple is the founder of Makerble, an award-winning startup that accelerates social change. Makerble has two divisions; a marketing agency which helps charities change the way the world perceives them, and a technology product that helps charities collect, collate and communicate evidence of their impact.

Matt initially worked in the advertising industry upon graduating from a MNatSc Chemistry degree at The University of Birmingham. He then started his first company, Gradulicious which provided opportunities for recent graduates to meet like-minded people.

He has since co-founded The Commission for Youth Social Enterprise, been appointed as a Social Enterprise Ambassador by The Cabinet Office, managed a pop singer and co-founded an events social enterprise called Filanthropy. His mantra is that if it’s imaginable, it’s possible. 

Andrew Ward

Managing Director of three Birmingham-based technology businesses. Andrews’ first business, Scorchsoft, provides technology consultancy, develops web and mobile applications and has been delivering online success and innovation for their UK and international clients over the past six years.

Andrew has just won the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce 'Future Faces" award for entrepreneurship 2016. As an ambitious entrepreneur, Andrew is utilising Scorchsoft's in-house capabilities to develop exciting new businesses driven by platforms that are highly scalable, providing exponential growth.

Joycelyn Mate and Rachael Corson

Afrocenchix is an award winning natural care company founded by Rachael Corson and Joycelyn Mate. The pair blend top quality ingredients to make high performing products for Afro hair.  Afrocenchix formed when Joycelyn was on a seemingly endless quest for quality Afro hair care products that actually worked and Rachael was eager to find a beauty product she wasn’t allergic to.
In 2011, Afrocenchix gained an award for ‘Ethical and Sustainable Business Innovation’ from the University of Birmingham which encouraged them to take the enterprise to the next stage and in 2016 they went on to win the 2016 UCL Entrepreneurship Award.

Afrocenchix products are expertly researched and are derived from 98-100% natural ingredients. The products are free from cruelty , SLS/sulphates, parabens, silicons and parfum/artificial fragrances. Supporting Britain is important to them so they work with UK scientists and chemists, use British suppliers and manufacture in the UK. Afrocenchix products are never tested on animals, their raw materials are ethically sourced and they use environmentally friendly preservatives.