Last year we launched MISSION, an incubator for purpose-driven start-ups, fully funded by Projects. Designed to inspire organisations to make a lasting, positive impact on both the environment and society as a whole, it offered a cohort of 10 entrepreneurs a full support programme, including weekly expert run masterclasses on a range of better business topics, from ethical HR to personal branding, 24/7 access to Projects work spaces and a network of like-minded businesses. The first cohort have just completed their 6 month schedule and we loved every minute of supporting the incredible businesses who took part on their journey. Find out about the MISSION members and their experience being part of the cohort here and check out the details at the end of the post if you’d like to get involved in Amplified by Projects (MISSION 2.0) which will take place later this year.
Roxy van der Post Roxy van der Post is a documentary filmmaker, lifestyle photographer, and brand storyteller. In the summer of 2020, she ended a decade-long marketing career and moved from Bradford to Brighton to launch her own business, Myosotis Film & Photography. Now Roxy helps community changemakers and rebel entrepreneurs to discover, build, and share their personal brand story with the aim of inspiring the public to join them in action. ‘I am beyond grateful for the community that I have found through the MISSION programme. While we’re all at different stages with our businesses, working across seemingly unrelated sectors, our commonalities are stronger than our differences and it’s actually allowed us to learn a lot from each other. We’ve supported each other through some tough times, both personally and in business, and have also become each others’ biggest cheerleaders! Some of us even ended up working together on both voluntary and paid-for projects. As a solopreneur who is prone to self-doubt and overthinking, MISSION- and Projects at large – has helped me to find belonging with fellow business owners, gain knowledge on topics I felt rather unsure about, and build confidence as an independent founder.’
Park Rojanachotikul Park started his filmmaking journey in the TV commercial space in Thailand where he worked with brands such as Chevrolet, ANA, Coca-Cola, and Biotherm, before following his passion for documentary filmmaking where he worked on projects focused on migration, indigenous knowledge, and climate actions. In 2018, Park took a brief sabbatical from the filmmaking world. He pursued post-graduate study in Environmental Management and Media-practice for Social Change and Development at the University of Lincoln, New Zealand, and the University of Sussex, UK, respectively. In late 2021, Park founded Subterranean Light, an inclusive and diverse film production company based in Brighton (UK) and Bangkok (Thailand) that focuses on making films that influence positive social and environmental change.
‘MISSION has been an invaluable journey for me. The program has given me the confidence to go out in the world while knowing that I will be able to stand side-by-side in solidarity with my cohort, pursuing and accomplishing our missions to do good’
The Seagull The Brighton Seagull is an independent news site publishing local news that matters to the residents of Brighton & Hove. It was founded by Carly-May Kavanagh, a journalist, and Adam Englebright, a data consultant, in 2021.
'MISSION has been truly transformative for The Seagull. We’ve made new friends and explored new opportunities—pushed by the training and inspired by the other participants, we’ve been able to grow massively, increasing our subscribers by 10x over the course of the programme.’
Tim Jameson Tim’s background is in software design, client services, photography and music production.
He founded MakeLifeClick as an open invitation to begin exploring a fundamentally new approach to social media and ‘online community’ – one that empowers humanity and enriches life both online AND offline.
As a dad, he’s been questioning what the future holds for our children and young people, especially under the influence of AI and “big tech”. He said ‘We’ve all seen how technology makes a brilliant servant, but not such a great master.’ Working together, Tim believes we can empower a new world of inter-connected living, focussed on wellbeing, non-invasive technology, health over wealth and an end to device addiction.
‘It’s early days with MakeLifeClick and being part of Mission has enabled me to gain invaluable insight from a fantastic group of Socialpreneurs and experts, who have challenged my thinking and approach.’
Samantha Hornsby Sam is Co-Founder of ERIC, an award-winning creative careers app that she founded with her best friend, Mae. ERIC’s purpose is to inform every young person that the creative industries is an enormous, lucrative and futureproof sector to seek a career in and provide them with the tools to take their first steps into the creative world. ‘Being part of the Mission Programme was truly amazing. It’s exceeded all expectations. I’ve learnt from a wealth of fantastic masterclasses, had free access to a beautiful space to work from everyday and the best part is that I’ve met the most amazing people – those on the programme and around it. What an incredible 6 months it’s been! I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity.’
Ross Othen-Reeves Ross joined Mission as the co-founder of Rich Earth Cafe, which was located on the ground floor of Projects – The Lanes. Their aspiration was to create a cafe where Projects’ members could connect, learn and inspire one another through excellent food and drink, a relaxed working atmosphere, and tailored community events. Sadly the current economic climate proved too great a challenge, and so the cafe ceased trading in February.
Following the cafe’s closure, necessity saw Ross swiftly pivot to freelance writing – a personal passion of mine which until now I had not considered making a career out of.
‘With such dizzying change, and so many new things to learn, MISSION quickly became an integral part of my start-up journey as a freelancer, helping me cope and prioritise. Between the incredible support network offered by the eight other entrepreneurs on the programme, and the first-class practical advice provided by carefully selected industry experts in each weekly session, MISSION has fast-tracked the progress I’ve made in setting up a (very) new business. I have gained skills, knowledge and contacts that simply wouldn’t have been possible without the course. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of MISSION and would highly recommend it to others.'
Louise Harman Louise Harman is the founder of social movement Louise on Death. Louise on Death is focused on opening up conversations about death and turning to the arts and curiosity to cope with uncertainty.
Louise has lived with her name next to death for nearly two years since winning a social impact award for the idea via the Sussex Innovation Centre, UK. She has a unique story to tell which is fundamentally underpinned by the theme of connection; she is currently working on content written, created, and produced around death, collaborating with individuals across various disciplines to institutions.
‘MISSION has been fundamental to my progress while working on several of the above projects. I’ve had access to tailored support, fantastic facilities, and have been welcomed into a hub of creativity and support through my fellow social impact founders and MISSION facilitators.’
Tom Graham Tom originally went ‘MAD’ in the Philippines, setting up Make A Difference (MAD) Travel, before returning to the UK in 2020 to establish MAD Courses. MADs mission is to connect classrooms to communities around the world, enabling students to explore the world as if they were there in person. Thanks to interactive video technology, students are able to choose where to go in a community, who to speak to and what questions to ask. MAD then builds lesson plans around these adventures, providing a more accessible and engaging way for schools to integrate sustainability into the curriculum.
Tom also wrote a book on his experiences in the Philippines and gave a TEDx talk around his one-journey among communities.
‘Apart from the workshops and other perks, MISSION enabled me to meet some amazing fellow entrepreneurs who gave me the strength and encouragement to keep going, even when times get tough. Thanks, Projects, for making us all feel so welcome!’
Ivi Casagrande Originally from Brazil and a former footballer, Ivi decided to transition from a player to a high performance coach in 2014. She started her coaching career as a Sports Performance Coach for Bowling Green State University Women’s Soccer program in Ohio, USA, a position she remained in for two years.
In 2017, she started as a Director of Sports Performance for Redline Athletics in Michigan before moving to Orlando in 2019 for her first full time role in a professional football club, Orlando Pride, where she stayed until the end of 2020.
From 2018 until 2020 she also worked as a Network Sport Scientist with the USA Youth National teams and in 2021 she became the Sport Scientist for Brighton Women’s team in the UK for 2 seasons before starting her own business in 2022.
Ivi is currently a High Performance Consultant, working in various organizations such as FIFA, UEFA, Under Armour, Lewes FC Women’s Team and as a Head of Performance for the Brazilian Women’s National Team.
Her business mission is to develop and empower coaches and athletes to perform at their best with what they have and give them the necessary tools to be the best version of themselves every day.
‘MISSION has been an instrumental part of my growth process as a business. Before the program, I had no idea on how to start or even the things I needed to consider to build something sustainable and with a long-term focus. It can be quite challenging sometimes in the beginning when you still have all the other projects or work on the side to juggle with developing the business, and being on MISSION every week allowed us to dedicate some time with like-minded people who only added value to our journey. All the workshops and sessions were tailored to our needs and we had the opportunity to really get one-on-one advice with all the experts they brought to the project.’
At Projects, we believe that economic success can and should also have a positive impact on people and the planet.
If you’re interested in learning more about the next MISSION INCUBATOR - now called Amplified by Projects, click here.
Projects’ six month business incubator programme has been crafted for purpose-driven start-ups on a mission to change the world for the better through their product or service.
Application for cohort 2 opens: 23 June 2023, interviews will take place from 28 July and the programme will start on 28 September.
A cohort of five entrepreneurs will receive a full support programme aimed at improving their chances of making an impact through access to inspiring work spaces, expert masterclasses and a network of like-minded businesses.
The application process is three stage:
Stage one: easy online eligibility form (two mins)
Stage two: detailed questionnaire (20 mins)
Stage three: in person interview (40 mins)
We can’t wait to continue to support the next generation of businesses in their growth, making our world a better place, together.