LSBU alumnus wins tech award for game-changing online shopping tool
London South Bank University (LSBU) alumnus Bertie Stephens has won Start-up of the Year Award at the 2013 London Web Summit for his product Flubit - a new website that promises to find online shoppers a cheaper price on almost anything.Flubit was up against more than 100 other start-ups to win the competition, held earlier this month. An exciting new website, shoppers who think they have already found the best price online can go to Flubit - which will try and get an even better deal for them.
"You simply find the product you want to buy online and paste the link into the Flubit website - one of the simplest sites on the web", explains Bertie Stephens. "Our team and technology then go off and create a better offer just for you.
"This price won't exist online before you come to Flubit, and it's only for you. You can demand almost anything and Flubit will work."
Launched in September 2012, the award adds to Flubit's already-impressive beginnings. As the start-up winner, Flubit's prize package includes a Windows Azure cloud computing package, a high-level review of the company's contracts by Hiscox, logo design services from 99 Designs, and $5,000 of cash or services from iSeed.
After graduating from LSBU's BA (Hons) Digital Film and Video in 2007, Bertie set up MWS Media and soon the concept of Flubit was born.
"One day I was filming with Coca-Cola and started chatting about my idea to someone there - which led onto me asking for a modest £5,000, of which he misheard because I was given £50,000! It all went from there really, I made the decision to leave MSW Media with just enough funding to get ourselves going."
And Bertie has no plans to relax. He is currently planning to expand Flubit's UK operations to an eventual international launch.
"My philosophy is about doing and being productive; it doesn't always work, but it's great just getting on with it. People often say that it's the appeal of being your own boss, but it's more than that - it's about seeing a vision become something that really engages with people."
Course Finder - for more about BA (Hons) Digital Film and other courses at LSBU.
Find out more about Flubit.