Innovating wellness
How Minu won YES23’s Best disruptive food and drink business plan
At YES (Your Entrepreneurs Scheme), we take pride in supporting innovative minds and helping them realise their potential.
YES23 saw many groundbreaking hypothetical but plausible ideas pitching for the top prizes, one of which was Minu. Created by Dr Nicola-Jayne Tuck and Charlie Bradley, Minu is a vitamin-enriched cordial designed to alleviate symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause.
Dr Nicola-Jayne Tuck shares her experience and the journey of bringing Minu to life.
From academia to innovation
Nicola’s academic journey was influenced by an interest in lifestyle medicine, particularly how diet, nutrition, physical activity, and social support can enhance mental health and psychological well-being. Her passion led her to pursue a PhD at Aston University, focusing on nutritional psychiatry.
While academia allowed Nicola to conduct scientific research, YES enabled her to consider how to apply her research in real-world settings. Nicola had always been interested in entrepreneurship, even considering pursuing a PhD in the field. "I always knew I would return to something related to entrepreneurship," she said. Participating in YES23 gave Nicola the chance to explore career options and realise the potential of her PhD topic outside the research laboratory. The mentoring, workshops, and networking Nicola engaged in as part of YES were instrumental in tying the two worlds together. "When I discovered YES, I thought, this is where I can dabble into entrepreneurship again," she recalled.
Collaborative creativity: teaming up for success
The journey of Minu began with a creative collaboration between Nicola and Charlie. Balancing their professional and personal responsibilities, they dedicated countless hours to their project. "We put a lot of graft in during our evenings but enjoyed every minute of the process," Nicola recalled, “We worked well together because we both were very passionate and enthusiastic.”
The inspiration for Minu stemmed from Nicola's and Charlie's shared interest in nutrition and women's health. Nicola’s experiences as a new mother and Charlie's observations of a family member navigating perimenopause fuelled their passion.
Guided by insights from YES mentors and experts like Professor Aedin Cassidy, their research led them to explore plant-based vitamins and micronutrients. “The support and guidance from Aedin Cassidy as we prepared for the YES23 final allowed us to start considering how our hypothetical idea could become a reality,” Nicola said.
Transformative impact: YES's role in career aspirations
Participating in YES23 had a profound impact on Nicola’s career aspirations.
Taking part in YES gave me the confidence to pursue new avenues outside of academia. It’s easy to think there’s too much risk involved with stepping out of your comfort zone, but with the right resources, support and passion, anything is possible.
Nicola encourages others to embrace the opportunity YES provides.
If you’ve got an inkling of something you want to explore or test the water with then consider taking part in YES. You might think you don’t have the time, but it’s important to make the time for opportunities that come your way, especially if they align with your existing passions.
Nicola and Charlie were ultimately awarded the Best disruptive food and drink business plan, sponsored by the Food Consortium Collaborative Training Partnership, at the YES23 showcase for their work on Minu. As for the future of their idea, Nicola and Charlie aren’t done yet. “We definitely want to take it further, so watch this space” she said.
Conclusion: the YES experience
Nicola and Charlie’s story exemplifies the essence of YES – a scheme that empowers early career researchers and technicians to transform their hypothetical ideas into impactful solutions. Their journey with Minu demonstrates the importance of collaboration, perseverance, and the willingness to step outside of your comfort zone.
At YES, we are committed to nurturing entrepreneurial spirits, and providing the tools, mentorship, and networking necessary for success.
If you have a passion that could answer a global problem, register for YES24 today!.