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Follow on Google News | Moment of frustration wins students world app prizeAn app born out of the frustration of not being able to think of an idea for an app has just won four UK students a worldwide technology competition and $50,000.
By: SETsquared The University students, all aged between 20 and 23, have seen their ‘SoundSYNK’ app heralded one of the best in the world at the Microsoft Imagine Cup World Finals. It is a far cry from the caffeine-fuelled moment of despair that lead to the University of Exeter students’ Robert Parker, Edward W Noel, Alexander Bochenski and Jonathan Neumann were so frustrated with not being able to come up with an idea for the regional heats of a 48 hour app-building competition, the Microsoft Imagine Cup that they decided to take a break at 2 am and put on some music. They complained about how it wasn’t loud enough coming from one phone and thought wouldn’ It was a lightbulb moment and the foursome decided to create it as their app for the competition. It proved such a winner that it not only won the regional heat but also the subsequent UK final. Today, their idea won the worldwide finals of the competition in Russia and now the young student technologists are planning to launch the app, alongside an innovative new way of sharing content later this year under their business, CoLinked. They have been working with Microsoft and Setsquared, a partnership of the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey, to help them get the business off the ground. SETsquared and the University of Exeter's Student Guild has given the foursome business mentoring through its partners, put them in touch with high profile mentors for one-to-one advice and even flown them to MIT in America to get tips on becoming successful technology entrepreneurs. The training has certainly paid off for the student start-up because they have secured a £10,000 business grant from Creative England and an offer of a place within SETsquared’ SoundSYNK Co-founder Edward Noel, 20, said: “We’ SETsquared’ Tracy Costello, Deputy Chief Executive of the University of Exeter Students’ Other UK organisations that have supported the youngsters are the Exeter Innovation Centre, Exeter Students’ ENDS Photo l to r: Robert Parker, Alexander Bochenski, Jonathan Neumann Edward Noel Notes to editors: About SETsquared: SETsquared is a collaboration between the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey which partners in enterprise activities and collectively supports the growth and success of new business opportunities through spin-outs, licensing, incubation and education. The partnership also works with industry through research collaboration and consultancy. Find out more at www.setsquared.co.uk About SoundSYNK and Colinked: Find out more about SoundSYNK at http://soundsynk.moonfruit.com For more information, images or interviews please contact: Laura Downton at Carswell Gould T: 023 80 238001 E: Laura[at]carswellgould[ Distributed on behalf of SETsquared by NeonDrum news distribution service (http://www.neondrum.com) End
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