PROPERCORN and Pavegen win Simon Franks launches political party

Simon Franks, who was made a Young Gun in 2004 as the founder of film distribution business Redbus and went on to become one of the founders of LOVEFiLM, is behind a new centrist political party backed by £50m in funding

Meanwhile, energy generating flooring firm Pavegen (founded by 2017 Young Gun Laurence Kemball-Cook) has been announced as one of the winners of a Fortune500 energy competition, and PROPERCORN (founded by 2014 Young Guns Cassandra Stavrou and Ryan Kohn) has undergone a major packaging redesign.

Simon Franks behind new £50m centrist party

It was announced recently in The Observer that Franks was responsible for setting up Project One Movement for the UK, which is reported to be the vehicle for the new political party.

It will borrow ideas from the left and right in an effort to challenge what it sees as an increasingly tribal Westminster politics.

Though no other names have yet been made public, it’s claimed that other senior figures from business, charity and politics are involved.

After selling Redbus in 2005, Franks launched the Franks Family Foundation (FFF), which finances charitable endeavours around the world including educational projects, scholarship programmes and medical projects.

Pavegen winner of Fortune 500 energy innovation competition

Pavegen is one of five winners in an innovation competition organised by Fortune 500 energy and Schneider Electric, beating entrants from over 40 countries.

The written application for the Innovation Start-Up Challenge required entrants to “imagine greener solutions to power the new digital company”.

Pavegen’s pitch was around the idea that the needs of people, rather than machines, will be at the centre of sustainable cities.

This is not the first time Pavegen has collaborated with Schneider Electric: it created a walkway spanning the race course on the Place de La Concorde in 2013.

PROPERCORN redesigns packaging with seven global artists

PROPERCORN has enlisted the creativity of seven artists from across the globe to really make its new packaging pop.

This is the third evolution of its logo and packaging design since 2011 and will be rolled out across its single, sharing and multi-packs from April.

The seven artists and the flavours they redesigned are:

Elena Boils – Perfectly Sweet
Kelly Anna – Sweet & Salty
Tom Abbiss Smith – Sour cream 7 Black pepper
Kim Sielbeck – Sweet Coconut & Vanilla
Nathan Joyce – Sun-dried Tomato & Chilli
Pietari Posti – Lightly Sea Salted
Billy Clark – Peanut Butter & Almond

Stavrou commented: “We’ve come a long way since I sketched our first packs on the back of an envelope eight years ago but have been unwavering in our belief that to thrive, businesses need to put creativity at their heart.

“For PROPERCORN, there’s no better place to showcase and celebrate creativity than on our packs. I’m hugely excited that we’re able to give a platform to all this incredible upcoming talent and can’t wait to see their names taking pride on the platform.”