Joshua took part in last year’s cohort of the RGU Startup Accelerator and went on to earn £8,000 in funding at our Accelerator Showcase by winning the Audience Award.
Find out more about Joshua’s journey through the programme and how it has benefitted his business, Assetworx, in this blog.
Why did you decide to apply for the Startup Accelerator?
We decided to apply for the Startup Accelerator, kind of on a whim. My co-founder, Wissam, and I had previously discussed an idea for a better asset platform for architecture students, because, as former students of the Scott Sutherland School at RGU, we both found it difficult and exhausting to search for relevant cadblocks and design assets since they were not centralised in one place.
It was a frustrating experience to look for files on risky sites, especially when we needed to meet deadlines. There was also a chance of losing or corrupting files, and managing our assets was time-consuming. If there had been a centralised marketplace with a vast database of assets, it would have made it easier for us and other students to find what we needed promptly.
That’s why we came up with the idea for Assetworx and decided to apply for the Startup Accelerator. The application process was quite fun, as once we applied we were invited to a boot camp with other applicants that I attended on our behalf, where we did 1-minute pitches and “invested” into other businesses.
How did you find the workshops and mentoring sessions as part of the programme?
The workshops were very beneficial, as I learnt so much more about running and sustaining a business, as well as a bit more about public speaking, which isn’t really my strength. Having an individual mentor to help guide you and answer more niche questions and problems was also great.
There was also a real community feel within the whole experience, we were all competing, but we were able to elevate each other’s business ideas as well. Some things we have learnt from the programme were how to develop a team, to market our brand, and customer discovery. The main takeaway, however, has been to be persistent and consistent. No business was built in a day so we need to persevere.
How was your experience pitching at the Accelerator Showcase and winning an award?
We didn’t really expect to get further than the Bootcamp so to make it to the final showcase was nerve-wracking! Overall it went well, with a minor technical hiccup thrown in for good measure.
To win the Audience Award was validating as it encouraged us that this idea was worth running with. The prize money we’ve received has helped us purchase the various software packages needed to develop a functional MVP (minimum viable product). We are also working on creating a branding package for Assetworx.
Can you tell us more about your business Assetworx and where it is now?
We like to dub Assetworx as “the missing piece for your creative needs”. Assetworx is a subscription service that provides architecture, engineering and design students with a content-rich library of high-quality dynamic, creative, and technical assets, that will help them save time and make their work a success.
Assetworx works with the idea of: one asset, multiple file types, which means that you can use our assets across multiple applications to fulfil your needs. We are currently developing an MVP with the aim to partner with a few Scottish universities in the near future to help subsidise the cost of Assetworx for students on a trial basis.
Since the Accelerator, we have also built up our team over the last few months and have joined a mentorship programme for business owners.
Any advice for students wanting to take part in the Accelerator this year?
You should just go for it! We started with just a vague skeleton of an idea and now we have funding and the ability to develop something tangible. It’s also important to engage as much as you can, you gain some invaluable knowledge and connections along the way.
Joshua Ekekwe