Maxime's START UP Journey
Founder of demySTIfy Sexual Health Ltd
-->Tell us about your journey with START UP
I started working with START UP in early 2024, when it dawned on me that the volunteer-run subscription-based STI testing text service that I had set up through NUSU Go Volunteer would likely not continue after my graduation, as I was the solo founder. I had no idea of how to run a business, but through numerous meetings with the START UP team, I eventually started building my confidence and knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship. With their support, I applied to the Foundership programme, and was awarded mentoring with Edge Innovation Ltd - who have further supported me in my journey towards making demySTIfy a reality. I finally officially registered my business in January 2025, and applied to the Innovation Funding Service Design Foundations Round 6 award.
How did you find out about the grant funding?
I saw some emails come through about START UP throughout my time at university, and though I was curious, I didn't take the leap until my final year. This was after I attended an awards night and the person next to me asked why on earth I hadn't set up my volunteer service as a business - I think it clicked for me that it had potential to make a wider difference, if I worked towards setting up the idea as a social enterprise.
How did you feel about the application process and working with the team?
The application process was very straight-forward, simply completing an online form. I discussed this briefly with a START UP advisor beforehand as well. Working with the team was amazing, I felt truly encouraged (and at times, when needed, grounded back to realism) - and they made me realise that setting up a social enterprise didn't have to mean doing it full-time. This made a huge positive difference to my journey, as it allowed me to continue working towards my dream career of being a Clinical Psychologist (and now, also a business owner!).
What did you / do you plan to do with the funding?
I ended up using the £250 initial funding to pay for my business set-up fees, including registering the business and paying for a registered address and post forwarding service. This was really valuable for me to overcome the initial cost of set-up. I have also applied to the Innovation Funding Service Design Foundation Round 6 award, which if successful I plan to use to design the app using co-production with end users, and partnerships with Edge and a local tech provider.
What would you tell other students who were thinking about applying for funding from the team?
I would say absolutely book in an initial meeting if you're curious - setting up a social enterprise is understandably daunting, and I used to always say that I didn't want to work for myself... but START UP allowed me to see that I use my passion for an idea, set it up as a social enterprise, and still successfully do this part-time. They bring expertise and connections which makes the whole process much more manageable.