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Ben Way
File:BenWayred.jpg
Ben Way in 2008.
Born
Benjamin Peter Bernard Way

(1980-09-28) 28 September 1980 (age 44)
Exeter, Devon, England
OccupationEntrepreneur

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.

Early Life

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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] and was written off by his teachers [5] however he describes Dyslexia as having its ‘own brilliance’ [6] .

Business Ventures

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He started his first company ‘Quad’ [7] a computer consultancy at age 15 a few years later he raised £25 million from Jersey based venture capitalist to create an online shopping comparison technology called Pulsar [8] . 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 [9] .

He won "New Business Millennium Young Entrepreneur Of The Year" in 2000 which was given to him by Gordon Brown [10] . After receiving this award he went on to advise both the White House [11] and the UK government [12] on technology as well as joining the internet incubator NetB2B2 as a non-executive [13] before heading up technical and environmental investments and due-diligence for the Rotch Property Group [14] during this time he also lectured for Imperial Collage[15].

After leaving the firm he started the Rainmakers [16] an incubation company, through this he got involved with a number of start up companies, including the online mentoring company Horsesmouth [17] , language learning company FriendsAbroad [18] which was sold to Babbel [19], his sisters production company Newspepper [20] , and an SME advice service called Smarta [21].

He also has involvement in a number of green start-up companies including bio fuel producer LeafLog [22] and a Green plumbing Company [23].

He is the founder of Viapost, an online postal company [24] . The POIP service allows printing of documents over the internet which are then sent by Royal Mail.

During this time he was also chief innovation officer for Brightstation Ventures a $100m technology VC fund [25] .

Television, film, and media

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In 1999, he was featured on Britain's Richest Kids on ITV. [26] after this he appeared on a number of television shows including the Big Breakfast [27] partly due to some unusual restrictions on his personal life [28] .

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 organization, £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.[29]

In 2008 has appeared on a Channel Four, 3 Minute Wonder onRobotics[30] and as a "Web Guru" on Sky News [31]

He has written for a number of publications including the Telegraph [32] , City AM [33] and a chapter in "How to be a Teenage Millionaire" [34]

Supported Charities and Organisations

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  • Social Firms (Patron)[35]
  • Edge (Advisor)[36]
  • Anne Frank (Judge)[37]
  • Edge Ice (Judge)[38]
  • Make Your Mark (Judge)[39]
  • Unlimited (Judge)[40]
  • Pedro Club (Significant Donation)[41]
  • Nesta (Advisor)[42]

Awards

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

Politics

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In 2006 he stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in Bayswater Ward in the City of Westminster.[45]

References

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  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.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/passedfailed-an-education-in-the-life-of-ben-way-internet-millionaire-452975.html
  6. ^ [http://www.dyslexia-adults.com/a73.html
  7. ^ http://www.growingbusiness.co.uk/06959143451315721547/diving-back-in-what-second-time-entrpreneurs-learned-from-the-first-time-around.html
  8. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  9. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  10. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  11. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  12. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  13. ^ http://www.netimperative.com/news/2001/01/30/No_clues_at_netb2b2
  14. ^ http://42degrees.bankofscotland.co.uk/issue-10/turning-points-1.html
  15. ^ http://www.thestandard.com.hk/archive_news_detail.asp?pp_cat=&art_id=14307&sid=&con_type=1&archive_d_str=20010122
  16. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  17. ^ http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=36203
  18. ^ http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-2387483/Simon-Murdoch-puts-250-000.html
  19. ^ http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/11/06/babbel-acquires-friendsabroad-in-cash-deal/
  20. ^ http://uk.techcrunch.com/2008/01/14/newspepper-soft-launch-for-citizen-journalism-site/
  21. ^ http://www.execdigital.co.uk/Ben-Way-_5547.aspx
  22. ^ http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-182656555.html
  23. ^ http://www.director.co.uk/MAGAZINE/2008/9%20September/recession_busters_62_2.html
  24. ^ http://www.techdigest.tv/2007/09/viaposts_big_id.html
  25. ^ http://www.brightstation.co.uk/bsv/ben.html
  26. ^ http://archive.theargus.co.uk/1999/4/21/198045.html
  27. ^ http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/120625/?DCMP=ILC-SEARCH
  28. ^ http://www.computing.co.uk/networkitweek/news/2057148/booze-sex-ban-violates-rights
  29. ^ http://www.channel4.com/culture/microsites/S/secret_millionaire/millionaires/changed-programme.html
  30. ^ http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/G/generationnext/documentaries/3minutewonders/
  31. ^ http://blogs.news.sky.com/skynewscom/Post:b044d74a-828b-4c7c-878d-627004bf33b4
  32. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/exclusions/ybwaysworld/nosplit/ybwaysworld.xml
  33. ^ http://www.makingrain.com/cityam.jpg
  34. ^ http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?isbn=0141323167&DB=220&Menu=Books
  35. ^ http://www.socialfirms.co.uk/news/index.php/Item358.html
  36. ^ http://www.edge.co.uk/docs/loves/loves/?id=75:0:0
  37. ^ http://www.annefrankawards.org.uk/index.php?categoryid=15
  38. ^ http://www.iceedge.co.uk/docs/judges.php#5
  39. ^ http://www.makeyourmark.org.uk/get_involved/grand_idea
  40. ^ http://www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=1&PageName=whatareunltdawards
  41. ^ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1951867,00.html
  42. ^ http://www.nesta.org.uk/programmes/future_innovators/news/launch/index.aspx
  43. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2006/feb/11/careers.work4
  44. ^ http://www.ukprwire.com/Detailed/Business/Young_Guns_are_the_future_of_social_innovation_10495.shtml
  45. ^ 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]
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