Member Article

Leeds Met graduate entrepreneur receives funding for new app

Leeds Metropolitan University graduate entrepreneur Chris Knight has received funding to launch a new app which allows users to sample new products and get rewards.

The Samply app, created by BA (Hons) Sports Marketing and Public Relations graduate, Chris Knight, with Josh Graham, received a funding boost earlier this year as Chris scooped the £1,500 Business Concept of the Year Award at the Leeds Metropolitan University Enterprise Awards 2014.

The awards recognised outstanding enterprising behaviour demonstrated by undergraduate students at the University.

Samply is a smartphone application which allows users to sample new products from a variety of brands and get rewarded for giving their feedback.

Users can review or share products with their social media networks, and are rewarded with Samply Points, an in-app currency, for their opinion.

Chris Knight, originally from Chorley, said: “The initial £1,500 university funding helped us to create a brand which enabled us to secure essential funding for development.

“Now we’re ready for launch, it’s all becoming a little bit more real! We’re excited to share our platform which will enable users to not only try the latest products from their favourite brands, but also be rewarded for their opinions in the form of money off their phone bill.

“We’re partnering with the biggest and best in the business, so we envisage a strong future for Samply, with plans to add additional features to the app in coming months… And who knows, grow overseas!”

Samply will be available for download from Monday 20 October, with the app being officially launched at Manchester Metropolitan University on Tuesday 28 October, at Leeds Met’s Rose Bowl on Tuesday 4 November and at Apps World in London on the 12-13 November.

At Apps World, the team will have products available for sampling from Coca-Cola, Propercorn and the Collective Dairy.

The Samply team is now based at the Google-funded creative technology hub, Tech Campus, in Shoreditch, London.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .