The Discovery Call

Joy Timmer , founder of Scrumpf , joins Georgie Brown on the Discovery Call to expose what's really hiding in most dog food — and why the industry's biggest brands aren't the trustworthy choice most owners assume they are. Pet owners are spending more than ever on premium-looking dog food, but the industry is one of the most ultra-processed food categories in existence. Misleading front-of-pack ma...

What if creators didn’t have to wait around for brand deals to land in their inbox… and could start pitching the right people, with the right message, at the right time? That’s exactly what Jen Hartmann is building with Pitch Please . As the creator economy enters a huge new growth era, more people than ever are building careers online through content, community and influence. But while the opport...

What if the most valuable part of university wasn’t just the degree — but the people you should’ve met along the way? In this episode of Discover Startups , Georgie Brown speaks with Jerry Chen , co-founder of Latte , an EdTech startup helping universities connect students and alumni through smarter mentoring and AI-powered introductions. Mentoring programs are meant to unlock the real value of hi...

What if your zodiac sign could replace small talk forever? That’s exactly why Amie Farrell built Tame the Taurus : an astrology-based party card game designed to be the “Astrodote to Bland Banter” — turning polite catch-ups into chaotic, hilarious roast sessions powered by the zodiac. In this episode, Georgie Brown sits down with Amie Farrell , founder of Tame the Taurus, to unpack how a pre-weddi...

Join the EARNT newsletter (and get first dibs on upcoming “do good, get rewarded” drops) via ⁠⁠earnt.co.uk⁠⁠. What if the best seats, the best perks, and the most exclusive brand offers weren’t reserved for people with the biggest wallets… but for people who did something genuinely good for their community? That’s the world Lauren Scott-Harris is building with EARNT — a social impact platform that...

What if the best creators in fashion, beauty and interior design could stop selling you products … and start selling you personalised advice ? That’s exactly what MiM is building: a platform that lets styling & beauty creators offer remote, paid styling services directly from their link in bio — so fans can buy personalised help, sourcing, wardrobe edits, wedding styling and more , instead of...

What if the reason the suburbs feel disconnected isn’t the people — but the platforms meant to bring them together? That’s the question behind Towns Of , a new events and community platform built specifically for suburban life. In this episode, Georgie sits down with Graham Colligan , the founder behind Towns Of, to unpack why so many people living just outside cities feel isolated — and why exist...

What if shopping online actually understood you — your wardrobe, your taste, your real-life style — instead of throwing endless trends and products your way? That’s exactly the problem Kathleen Sheppard set out to solve with Tote , a personalised fashion-tech platform designed to help people cut through the noise and rediscover their own style. Tote flips the traditional shopping model on its head...

What if the solution to elderly loneliness wasn’t more care — but more connection? That’s the idea behind AIBŌ , the intergenerational platform founded by Solène Declas that matches young people (18–30) with elderly neighbours for paid companionship, friendship, and everyday support. Inspired by her own grandparents — and the growing gap between generations — Solène set out to solve two problems a...

What if kids learned the skills they actually need for real life — not just exams? That’s the problem CoLab is setting out to solve. Founded by Alan Tang , CoLab is an online education platform helping children aged 7–14 build essential life skills — like communication, teamwork, emotional intelligence and problem-solving — through live, gamified sessions and virtual escape rooms. After following...

What if skincare worked more like nutrition — and less like ultra-processed food? That’s the thinking behind The Glowcery , the nutrient-dense skincare brand founded by Roshanne Dorsett. After years working in law — and struggling with her own skin — Roshanne began questioning what we’re actually putting on our bodies. What she discovered was an industry full of ultra-processed formulas, diluted a...

For anyone who loves wearing luxury watches but hates choosing between style and health tracking, Fulcrum might be the product you’ve been waiting for. Founded by lifelong friends Tyler Boardman and CJ Sturgess , Fulcrum is pioneering a new category of wearables: a discreet, ultra-thin health tracker that sits under your favourite timepiece — giving you smartwatch-level data without sacrificing th...

Join the waitlist for Women Build Cool Shit — Theanna’s 12-week January cohort ⁠here⁠! What if turning your startup idea into a real tech product felt clear, structured, and actually achievable — even if you’re a non-technical female founder ? That’s the mission behind Nomiki Petrolla ’s platform, Theanna — an AI-powered startup builder helping women go from idea to MVP to paying customers without...

For anyone tired of tabs, TikTok rabbit holes, and sketchy Amazon reviews, Hili might be exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Founded by product and design leader Karli , Hili is a new kind of social discovery platform that puts people back at the centre of product recommendations — not algorithms, ad spend, or fake 5-star reviews. After 20 years in product, UX, and brand Karli started to see a p...

If you’ve ever tried to shop secondhand online and ended up scrolling through five different apps with nothing to show for it, you’re not alone. That exact frustration pushed Aseel to build Thrifter Club — a search tool that lets you browse eBay, Vinted, Thrift+ and charity shops all in one place . Think Skyscanner, but for secondhand fashion . Faster searches, better filters, cheaper finds. In th...

What if buying your first home felt clear, organised, and actually… manageable? For most people, the home-buying journey starts with excitement — scrolling Rightmove, booking viewings, imagining paint colours — and quickly collapses into chaos. Suddenly you’re drowning in spreadsheets, stamp duty calculators, survey reports, confusing estate agent jargon and endless to-do lists scattered across yo...

What if making a healthy breakfast didn’t require ten ingredients, a messy kitchen, or a cupboard full of stale chia seeds? That’s the headache Ben Da Costa set out to fix when he and a group of fellow creatives launched Oat Cult — overnight oats made simple, delicious, and good for your gut. Born out of Ben’s own mission to lower his cholesterol (and avoid cupboards overflowing with forgotten fla...

What if your wedding dress didn’t have to live in a box forever? That’s the question designer Dahlia Branch set out to answer when she launched Remnants of Lov e — a bespoke lingerie label turning wedding dress offcuts into handcrafted, wearable keepsakes. After years working in bridal fashion and events, Dahlia saw the same story play out time and time again: brides spending thousands on a gown t...

Join the waitlist for the November app launch here ! What if choosing wine felt as easy—and as personal—as picking your morning coffee? That’s exactly what Jess Thevenoz set out to do with Theodora , a new kind of wine-tech startup that helps everyday drinkers cut through the jargon, skip the guesswork, and finally find bottles they’ll love. After years of standing in the wine aisle hoping the pre...

PROMO: Get free shipping on your first order of Homi Kitchen when you use the code "DISCOVERHOMI" on their ⁠website⁠ . When Megan moved from Singapore to London to start a career as a finance lawyer, she never imagined she’d end up creating one of the UK’s most exciting new food startups . But during lockdown, while craving the flavours of home, she began cooking Singaporean street food for friend...

Going solo shouldn’t mean going it alone. Investrio (co-founded by Joyce Medeiros and Laura ) is building the financial infrastructure for solopreneurs — creators, freelancers, consultants, and company-of-one founders. Think AI-powered bookkeeping , clean, clear reports, invoicing , and access to funding (grants, SBA options, more) — all in one place and designed for how solo businesses actually r...

For anyone who’s ever woken up battling the dreaded hangover , Reclaim might be the drink you’ve been waiting for. Created by Todd Bruce , a former super-yacht crew member turned entrepreneur, Reclaim is a functional recovery drink designed to help people bounce back using natural, science-backed ingredients — without caffeine or synthetic additives. After years working in hospitality and seeing h...

For most people in their 20s and 30s, wills feel like something to worry about later. Complicated. Expensive. Not urgent. But when her cousin died unexpectedly, leaving a fiancée and child without legal protection, Sophia Maslin saw first-hand how unprepared many of us are for the unexpected. That moment inspired Morby , a death tech startup that makes will writing simple, affordable, and accessib...

What if instant soup could actually be good for you? That’s the question Bella Acland set out to answer when she launched Soul Kitchen , a food startup reimagining a cupboard staple with healthy, clean-label recipes made from real ingredients. Tired of the same old options on supermarket shelves, Bella wanted to prove that convenience food doesn’t have to mean compromise. With real vegetables in e...

Every big brand you know started as a small one no one was talking about. Discover Startups is here to change that. This show shines a light on early-stage businesses and the brilliant people building them — before they hit the headlines, go viral, or land on your high street. Each week, we share short, sharp stories about founders solving real problems with better products— the brands you’ll wish...