Ben Way

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Ben Way

Ben Way in 2008.
Born Benjamin Peter Bernard Way
28 September 1980 (1980-09-28) (age 28)
Exeter, Devon, England
Residence London, England
Occupation Entrepreneur
Net worth ▲£4 million (US$6.6 million)

Benjamin Peter Bernard Way (born 28 September 1980) Ben Way is an English entrepreneur best known for his appearance on Secret Millionaire, he started his first company at the age of 15[1]. He went on to raise £25 million in his teens[2] making him one of the first dot com millionaires.

Contents

[edit] Early Life

He grew up in a village in Devon, his parents separated [3] when he was young and he has a sibling Hermione Way. He was diagnosed with Dyslexia[4].

[edit] Business Ventures

He started his first company ‘Quad’[5] a computer consultancy at age 15. At the age of 19 he raised £25 million from Jersey based venture capitalist to create an online shopping comparison technology called Pulsar [6] . However, after a dispute with the investors in 2001 he was diluted out of the business and lost everything. It is reported that he was in the under thirties Sunday Times Rich List 2001 on the same day he could not buy a tube ticket [7] .

He won "New Business Millennium Young Entrepreneur Of The Year" in 2000 which was given to him by Gordon Brown[8] . After receiving this award he went on to advise both the White House [9] and the UK government[10] on technology as well as joining the internet incubator NetB2B2 PLC as a non-executive [11] after this he heading up technical and environmental investments and due-diligence for the Rotch Property Group[12] during this time he also lectured for Imperial College[13].

He started the Rainmakers in 2004 [14] an incubation company, through this he got involved with a number of start up companies, including the online mentoring company Horsesmouth[15] , language learning company FriendsAbroad[16] which was sold to Babbel[17], his sisters production company Newspepper[18] , and an SME advice service called Smarta[19] as well as a recruitment company called Brave New Talent [20]

During this time he was also chief innovation officer for Brightstation Ventures a $100m technology VC fund[21] .

He is the founder of Viapost, an online postal company [22] . The POIP service allows printing of documents over the internet which are then sent by Royal Mail.

He also has involvement in a number of green start-up companies including bio fuel producer LeafLog[23] and a green plumbing Company[24].

[edit] Television, film, and media

In 1999, he was featured on Britain's Richest Kids on ITV. [25] after this he appeared on a number of television shows including the Big Breakfast [26]partly due to some unusual restrictions on his personal life[27] .

In 2006, he appeared on the Channel 4 TV show Secret Millionaire where he gave away £40,000 in a philanthropic act after spending two weeks in Hackney as a volunteer. £20,000 was given to a youth organisation, £10,000 to a young entrepreneur, and another £10,000 as a thank you to one key member of the Hackney community. He subsequently appeared in the follow up program Secret Millionaire Changed My Life.[28]

In 2008 has appeared on a Channel Four, 3 Minute Wonder on Robotics[29] and as a "Web Guru" on Sky News [30]

He has written for a number of publications including the Telegraph [31] , City AM [32] and a chapter in "How to be a Teenage Millionaire" [33]

[edit] Supported Charities and Organisations

He has been involved with a number of charitable organisations most notably his support of the Pedro Club[34] a youth club from Hackney which he gave money to through the secret millionaire he is also the patron of Social Firms[35] an organisation dedicated to getting employment for people with disabilities.

He has acted as a judge on behalf of a number of charities including Anne Frank Awards[36], Ice Edge Awards[37],Make Your Mark[38] and Unlimited Awards[39] as well as having been an advisor to the charities Edge[40] and Nesta[41].

[edit] Awards

Ben Way meeting Gordon Brown in 2007.
  • New Business Millennium Young Entrepreneur Of The Year[42]
  • Young Gun 2007[43]

[edit] Politics

In 2006 he stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in Bayswater Ward in the City of Westminster.[44]

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/men/article1622286.ece
  2. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  3. ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/article649909.ece
  4. ^ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-ben-way-internet-millionaire-452975.html
  5. ^ http://www.growingbusiness.co.uk/06959143451315721547/diving-back-in-what-second-time-entrpreneurs-learned-from-the-first-time-around.html
  6. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  7. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  8. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  9. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  10. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  11. ^ http://www.netimperative.com/news/2001/01/30/No_clues_at_netb2b2
  12. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  13. ^ http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=14307&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=20010122
  14. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  15. ^ http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=36203
  16. ^ http://www.nma.co.uk/news/simon-murdoch-puts-£250000-into-language-learning-venture/587.article
  17. ^ http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/11/06/babbel-acquires-friendsabroad-in-cash-deal/
  18. ^ http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/01/14/newspepper-soft-launch-for-citizen-journalism-site/
  19. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  20. ^ http://www.spectator.co.uk/print/the-magazine/entrepreneur/3058216/2020-vision-tomorrows-stars.thtml
  21. ^ http://www.brightstation.co.uk/bsv/ben.html
  22. ^ http://www.techdigest.tv/2007/09/viaposts_big_id.html
  23. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-182656555.html
  24. ^ http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2008/9%20September/recession_busters_62_2.html
  25. ^ http://archive.theargus.co.uk/1999/4/21/198045.html
  26. ^ http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/120625/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
  27. ^ http://www.computing.co.uk/networkitweek/news/2057148/booze-sex-ban-violates-rights
  28. ^ http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/S/secret_millionaire/millionaires/changed-programme.html
  29. ^ http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/generationnext/documentaries/3minutewonders/
  30. ^ http://blogs.news.sky.com/skynewscom/Post:b044d74a-828b-4c7c-878d-627004bf33b4
  31. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/exclusions/ybwaysworld/nosplit/ybwaysworld.xml
  32. ^ http://www.makingrain.com/cityam.jpg
  33. ^ http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?isbn=0141323167&DB=220&Menu=Books
  34. ^ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1951867,00.html
  35. ^ http://www.socialfirms.co.uk/news/index.php/Item358.html
  36. ^ http://www.annefrankawards.org.uk/index.php?categoryid=15
  37. ^ http://www.iceedge.co.uk/docs/judges.php#5
  38. ^ http://www.makeyourmark.org.uk/get_involved/grand_idea
  39. ^ http://www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=1&PageName=whatareunltdawards
  40. ^ http://www.edge.co.uk/docs/loves/loves/?id=75:0:0
  41. ^ http://www.nesta.org.uk/programmes/future_innovators/news/launch/index.aspx
  42. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/feb/11/careers.work4
  43. ^ http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Business/Young_Guns_are_the_future_of_social_innovation_10495.shtml
  44. ^ http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/docstores/publications_store/elections/localelections2006/Bayswater.pdf
  • Jardine, Cassandra . "One day, we'll take over the world...". The Telegraph - Syndicated version here, 14 January 2007,[1].
  • "International Who's WHO of Entrepreneurs". Who's Who Historical Society, Section 1 - p165
  • "Way out front". Ambition magazine, 16 October 2008, p56-57, [2]

[edit] External links

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