A student from Leicester has won a Global Young Innovator Award for a new business addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Anuj Ashar won the Innovate UK and Newable award for his startup platform Rounds, which provides payment infrastructures for sustainable cities and rural communities.

Rounds was pitched to a panel of experts and investors who recognised the concept and awarded it £10,000 to support next stages of development of the business.

Anuj said on Linkedin:

“To be considered as one of the top teams and receive a £10,000 award for our B2B payment gateway company is an honour, with nothing possible without the support of our brilliant mentor Bolaji. Through the program, I’ve had the privilege of meeting my Co-Founder Nomuntu and learning from some of the brightest entrepreneurs and individuals out there.

“We’re currently working on the next steps of the company and hope to launch in South Africa soon. 2021 was always going to be a good year!”

Anuj is currently an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Leicester and is a member of the Leicester Innovation Hub Entrepreneur Group.

Leicester Innovation Hub Manager Rajinder Bhuhi said:

‘Supporting our students and graduates here at the University of Leicester in gaining enterprise and entrepreneurial skills, is needed more than ever at this time, when looking for career route paths and we all work through this time of recovery. Generating opportunities to innovate, disrupt and bring into place new business models to existing markets and consider ideas that address the challenges in industry and the planet all help to create graduate level jobs, environmental impact, grow the economy and create the companies of the future.’ 

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