2024 Startups 100 | Just Started shortlist and award winner

WINNER – Mr Bug

80% of the planet embraces insect protein, consuming over 2,000 species in total, but Westerners still grimace at the idea of eating a crunchy critter for breakfast. Mr. Bug is changing that, by bringing the UK’s first mealworm farm to market. 

Wisely judging that people might not be ready to eat Jiminy Cricket yet, co-founders Conal Cunningham and Paul Walton have focused their initial product development on dog treats. Just one year in, Mr Bug has already secured a significant £270k Innovate UK grant and won an array of prestigious awards including the Global Good Product of the Year. 

Mr Bug has bolder ambitions, however. Confirming the South West’s status as a hotbed for sustainable talent, its ultimate goal is reducing the UK’s dependence on meat. As Cunningham explains, “mealworms are jam-packed with protein, calcium, B12, iron, and all nine essential amino acids!” Now that’s a tasty statistic to swallow.

What did Liz Barclay have to say? 

“Mr Bug is tapping into what will be a growing need, taking the risk as an early adopter and innovating, while demonstrating one practical solution and shifting public opinion and human behaviour,” Barclay appraises.

“Innovative, growing impressively and demonstrating the potential to play an important part in resolving impending food supply insecurity exacerbated by climate change. What is starting fairly small here could have huge potential around the globe.”

SHORTLISTED –  Athena AI

While managing his previous venture, the grocery app Grocemania, Askar Bulegenov, kept experiencing a repeat pain point: customers using multiple sales channels to enquire about the same order. Frustrated with the communication issues this created, he and cofounder Artem Shitov designed Athena, a platform that consolidates inbound communications into a single business interface. 

Even ChatGPT couldn’t have written a better growth story for Athena. After generating over £1,400 in sales, Bulegenov and Shitov became convinced of the platform’s potential, and it launched officially in May 2023. In just over six months, the platform has expanded to a team of 12, secured trials with 200 customers, and been accepted onto the Google AI Accelerator.

What did Liz Barclay have to say? 

“Customer care has been dire in many sectors since the pandemic,” Barclay states. “The market is ripe for innovative solutions that help firms rebuild their reputation for great customer experience in the face of skills shortages. Athena feels as if it could be innovative and disruptive.”

SHORTLISTED – Story Locker

From the name alone, you won’t be surprised to learn that Story Locker boasts an inspiring and emotional origin story. Founder Dhilon Solanki’s Mum passed away at the age of just 50. His son, who had never met his Grandma, started to ask lots of questions about who she was. Wanting to give him more than just VHS tapes and photos, Solanki asked his Dad to record a podcast about her life. That’s when he decided to start Story Locker – the world’s first Paa (Podcast-as-a-Service) business model.

All while balancing a full-time job, Solanki has managed to create a customer proposition and market viable products using his life savings. He launched the ‘record from home’ personal podcast platform earlier this year, and has already locked in a number of partnerships with premium services for life’s biggest events including W Uden & Sons funeral services, RNIB, Hitched, and Guides for Brides.

What did Liz Barclay have to say? 

Taking to the podium, Barclay praises Story Locker for “tapping into an existing trend and adding a layer of purpose in a very crowded podcast market. Human stories play an important role in the gathering of social as well as family history. Story Locker’s potential for growth is huge, probably without the need for huge amounts of funding.”

 SHORTLISTED – Magic AI

We all know that smashing a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. But what about using a mirror to become a smashing success? That has brought only good luck to Magic AI, the AI-powered smart mirror that acts as a personal trainer without the public gym congestion and high prices. 

Magic’s vision has already earned the brand immense accolades since its launch last year. Key milestones include raising £2m, and collaborating with some of Britain’s leading athletes including football legend Jesse Lingard. Cofounder Varun Bhanot is also making his mark in its push to diversify AI. He was invited to 10 Downing Street to advise the PM on encouraging more ethnic minority youths to build AI. 

What did Liz Barclay have to say? 

“Innovative and impressive in terms of funding, Magic feels like the next step up from Peloton,” Barclay summises. “It takes the intimidation out of the workout, disrupts the gym market further and brings the possibility of better health and fitness at home. Investors seem to be impressed and the use of celebrity sport gurus is inspired.”

SHORTLISTED – Ujamaa Spice

Image credit: MAVERICK PHOTO AGENCY

Ujamaa Spice is a mission-driven company that is addressing one of the biggest gaps in UK fair trade supply chains: spices. Founded by Jawahir Al-Mauly and Rist Van de Weyer in 2022, Ujamaa aims to address the rise in spice exploitation by crime gangs by supporting women farmers in Zanzibar (known as the ‘Spice Islands’).

The company sources its produce from turmeric farms run by its own women’s cooperative. Farmers get training, resources, and a fair market price for crops, while buyers get flavourful and ethically-sourced spices for their kitchen cupboards. 

Ujamaa has already cooked up a storm in the F&B industry. It won the Impact award in Edinburgh’s 2023 Inspire Launch Grow awards and became a Great Taste Award winner. It has also started how it means to go on, and is targeting becoming B Corp next year. 

What did Liz Barclay have to say? 

Barclay expresses admiration for Ujamaa’s straightforward mission-backed focus and progress towards promoting industry change. “Ujamaa demonstrates clear emphasis on purpose and ethical business practices,” she says. “Helping to uplift women farmers will make a big difference to families, education and poverty. Purposeful and empowering and with the potential to grow.”