What is your name and background?
My name is Alex Molokwu, founder of Loujo. I have a neuroscience degree and background. I had a 10 year financial background in the City as a stockbroker and an equity trader. Having a successful and profitable business called Cowork Hub has helped me set up Loujo in the right way for success.
Tell us about your business and how you started it. Have you always wanted to become a business owner? Where did the idea for your business come from?
Loujo was inspired by my 6-year-old niece, who struggled with reading aloud, a situation familiar to many families. When looking for support from her school, it was found inadequate when it came to dyslexic support and resources. The platform is informed by the founder’s own experience, having been diagnosed with dyslexia while studying neuroscience. I had always wanted to start my own business after seeing my friend thrive as an entrepreneur.
How did you come across BEO’s F100 Growth Fund programme?
I found the F100 growth fund via the Block Dojo, an accelerator for startups in East London. The accelerator invested in Loujo and helped create the MVP. Block Dojo encourages cohort members to look for more opportunities as you build your idea into a prototype.
What made you want to apply for it?
The lure of enlarging our network, support and resources from an organisation who help Black entrepreneurs was too strong to pass on. The support and mentorship was exactly what was needed. The opportunity to pitch investors, VCs and peers at Sky HQ was great.
What have been the key benefits of joining the F100 Growth Fund?
The benefits from the F100 Growth Fund are exposure to investors and customers, support from peers who have been successful from grants, advice from successful business owners, access to mentors who have raised money for other startups and the mental health tactics that have helped in stressful occasions. It has been amazing, the Whatsapp group, the support emails and the digital meetings have been really great.
What would be your top tip for any business owners out there looking to apply to our next cohort of our F100 Growth Fund programme?
The top tip for applying for the F100 Growth Fund is to apply early and take your time filling in the application. It is really important to put yourself in the shoes of the application accessor. What do they want to see? It is important that your tell your story and journey to how you arrived at picking the F100 Growth Fund.
