Celebrating Entrepreneurship: Liam of Student Venture Wins People's Choice at Canopy Demo Night
Mar 14, 2025
Last Wednesday, the Canopy Demo Night in London was buzzing with energy, innovation, and community spirit. Entrepreneurs, students, investors, and supporters gathered to witness pitches from some of the brightest startup minds in the city. Among them was Liam, founder of Student Venture, who captivated the audience with his vision for revolutionizing student recruitment—and walked away as the winner of the coveted People's Choice Award.
Canopy Demo Night isn’t your typical pitch competition. It’s a welcoming space where entrepreneurs—whether seasoned veterans or fresh-faced dreamers—can share their ideas, receive constructive feedback, and connect with a supportive community. Stuart Noakes, co-host and founder of Canopy, describes it best: “It’s not about saying ‘I’m awesome; give me money.’ It’s about asking, ‘What am I missing?’” This ethos fosters collaboration and learning, making every demo night a unique experience for attendees.
Liam echoed this sentiment during our interview: “There’s something special about Canopy. Everyone is so nice; it feels like a family.” His appreciation for the event highlights the inclusive atmosphere that Canopy has cultivated over the years.
Liam’s pitch for Student Venture struck a chord with attendees. His startup aims to bridge the gap between industries struggling to find young talent and students seeking meaningful work experience. The platform provides companies with tools to access, engage, and recruit students effectively while ensuring students gain real-world experience aligned with their degrees.
Liam describes his long-term vision as creating a “LinkedIn for students.” With an all-in-one platform that prioritizes task-based recruitment over traditional CVs, Student Venture eliminates biases based on age, ethnicity, or university prestige. Instead, companies evaluate candidates based on completed tasks—an innovative approach that ensures fair hiring practices.
The idea for Student Venture came from Liam’s personal struggles as a student applying for hundreds of jobs without success. He saw firsthand how difficult it was for graduates to find work related to their degrees—a problem that continues to grow as more students enter higher education. Driven by empathy and determination, Liam decided to tackle this issue head-on.
As Stewart Noakes pointed out during our conversation: “The secret weapon at this stage is empathy. Solving a problem you’ve personally experienced gives you the highest level of understanding.” Liam’s journey exemplifies how personal challenges can spark entrepreneurial innovation.
One of the standout aspects of Liam’s pitch was his partnership with Unidays—a global platform with 29 million students and graduates across countries like the UK, US, Australia, China, and India. This collaboration gives Student Venture unparalleled access to its target audience.
But securing this partnership wasn’t easy. Liam shared how months of networking and perseverance finally led to signing the contract: “It was a difficult journey… but now we’ve created a symbiotic relationship where we benefit each other.”
Currently focused on industries like insurance, construction, hedge funds, and technology, Student Venture is steadily scaling up its operations. With demand growing rapidly in these sectors—especially insurance due to looming talent shortages—the startup is well-positioned for success.
When asked about his top three tips for aspiring entrepreneurs, Liam emphasized:
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: “You just have to keep going. Even if paths fail, you need to stay tenacious.”
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: A strong emotional connection to your mission will keep you motivated through challenges.
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: Building relationships opens doors to partnerships and opportunities that can transform your business.
These insights reflect Liam’s own journey—from struggling student to founder of an innovative startup poised to make waves in recruitment.
Winning the People’s Choice Award at Canopy Demo Night is just one milestone in Liam’s entrepreneurial journey. His determination and innovative approach have already earned him recognition within London’s startup ecosystem—and there’s no doubt that Student Venture will continue to grow and inspire others.
As Stewart Noakes remarked: “This has been one of the highest-calibre demo nights we’ve seen in London.” With leaders like Liam paving the way forward, Canopy Membership remains an invaluable resource for fostering entrepreneurship and community in London.
If you missed last week’s event, don’t worry! The next Demo Night will be held at Bayes Business School on April 9th as part of the Innovating for Impact conference. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for feedback or simply curious about London’s vibrant startup scene, join us to learn and connect
More about demo night and the calendar of events for the year - Canopy Community Demo Night
More about City Ventures - Homepage | CityVentures
Connect with Liam - https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-jeffery/