Welcome back after a long, beautiful summer! Join us for our September show to discover the stories behind the disruptive start-ups movement as we present the companies and individuals who have decided to Rip It Up, Start Again!
Led by Lulu Laidlaw-Smith, these dynamic innovators will take our guests through their experiences in the world of disruption, sharing the stories and insights they have gained along the way.
Rob Ward — @1robward
Founder: Forward Food
Rob’s work today is with an exciting range of early stage Ag and Food Tech businesses. He is spearheading the development in new technologies that the entire food and farming industry needs to overcome the challenges they are currently facing. Rob’s business helps an entrepreneur improve their business model and win investment.
Olivia Knight — @Patchworkit
Founder: PatchWork
Olivia Knight spent ten years as a Partner and strategist at eatbigfish brand consultancy, then two years as a Creative Director for environmental charity Do The Green Thing, before launching the Patchwork group gift platform. Olivia is interested in the intersection between business, politics, community and the environment. An active member of the women in tech and London startup community, she is Chair of Sharing Economy UK. Olivia lives in Brockley, South East London, with her husband and two children.
Rosie De Malmanche — https://ourcloset.co.uk/
Founder: Our Closet
Founded in 2018, Rosie created Our Closet to give the women of the UK the chance to jump onboard the circular fashion lifestyle which is super popular with the babes of Australia. Before relocating to London, she was running a successful online dress rental business in Perth, Australia renting out the gorgeous designer pieces she had collected over the years, often from overseas. A bunch of her girlfriends gave Rosie their precious pieces to rent out on their behalf too, but this was always a bit of a pain in her butt as they would often want them back at the last minute to wear out that night. Rosie decided to create a platform where they could lend out their own pieces in a safe and secure way while still being able to wear them themselves whenever they wanted. Our Closet is a way for women to make some money back from their purchases. At the end of the day, Rosie wants us all to cut down on the fast fashion we’re buying then throwing away which is going straight to landfill. She wants women, before they buy a new outfit, to think will I wear this again? Would someone else want to wear this? For this price, could I rent something from my favourite luxury designer instead? Rosie hopes you love lending and borrowing your designer pieces as much as she does.
