RARE  RISINGSTARS 2010 The UK’s Top 10 Black Students
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No. 9

 

Stephan Eyeson

Canterbury Christ Church University, Kent
BA Theology & Health
Enterprise
Stephan Eyeson
"I want to help students to make the right academic and professional decisions and get experience in what they want to do."

It has been said that some of the best ideas come out of the worst experiences and this is certainly something that Stephan Eyeson can relate to.

RRS2011: Replayed - Missing out on a basketball scholarship to the US led to our ninth-place Star, Stephan Eyeson, setting up Get Pro. Stephan also tells us about where he got his entrepreneurial streak from.


After administrative delays meant Stephan missed out on three full basketball scholarships at American universities, he was inspired to set up Get Pro.


"That was my whole dream gone. I thought that there must be an easier way for basketball players like myself in England and Europe to go to America and play professionally…"

An alumnus of both the East Durham Basketball Academy and the Bristol Academy, Stephan secured over £40,000 from a private investor through Angel's Den to start Get Pro. The online site allows players to advertise themselves to coaches, agents and scouts around the world and features profiles and videos of the sportsmen in action. Today, one in three players using Get Pro gets signed up to an American college, academy or agent. Stephan also worked with sportswear giant Adidas. His service has also been featured in Slam, the world's biggest basketball website after NBA, and the business will make a permanent move to America in the coming months.

With the success of Get Pro, Stephan was inspired to pursue more entrepreneurial projects. In early 2011, he developed another online site, www.beforeuni.com, which allows students to apply for work experience opportunities and apprenticeships online before going to university.

In September 2011, Stephan launched Think in Africa, an initiative encouraging investment in Africa.