Middlesex Enactus team secure place in prestigious World Cup qualifier

The team will be presenting an inspiring project called Mind Haven helping neurodivergent and autistic people

A dedicated team of students from Middlesex University has earned a place in the final round of the Enactus UK & Ireland World Cup Qualifier. This milestone represents a significant step on the journey to the Enactus World Cup 2026, which takes place in São Paulo, Brazil, later this year.

Enactus supports students and young people to take part in social enterprise, running competitions in which teams present ideas for projects linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals that tackle social or environmental issues and make a real difference in the community.  Participants develop practical leadership skills through the competition to serve them in their future careers.

The Middlesex team is made up of Francisca Ndiwe, Arinos Cardoso, Alex Zin Sett, Amberin Dino, Brian Rostin Tavarez, Kriti Pal, Yurim Htike, David-Alexander Oprea, Sai Raj Ali, Raveena A Pillay, Bony David Talari, Yhuela Vinta Fernandes, and Salini Leela Sasidharan.  

They took two projects to this month’s regional qualifiers, one of which, SkillGrab, is an app designed to help students connect with employers and gain valuable experience and job opportunities. In the final, students will be present MindHaven, an App that helps neurodivergent and autistic people find calmer, sensory-friendly places in cities using  open environment data. The students are largely Business and Marketing undergraduates and postgraduates or on MBA courses at Middlesex University, while Sai who is leading the Mind Haven project is on the Data Science MSc course.

“Reaching the Top 20 is a great reflection of the hard work and passion of our team.  We have learned how to listen to our community and how to build something that truly helps people. This experience is giving us the practical skills and the belief that we can make a genuine difference in the world.  The commitment and dedication from the team has been incredible. From ideation to project development, every hour was used very productively.”

Francisca Ndiwe, Enactus Middlesex Team Leader and an MA Business Management student

Another team member Arinos Cardoso, also on the MA in Business Management course, said: “The Middlesex team isn’t just about completing projects; we’ve built real friendships and grown together along the way. Through the competition I developed my presentation, communication and networking skills, and I also became much more confident. It taught me how to stay composed if things go wrong during a presentation and how to prepare effectively even when time is limited. Another great benefit was the opportunity to meet CEOs and company representatives, learn from their experiences and connect with them on LinkedIn. Being part of Enactus at Middlesex University has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time at university.”

MBA student Ravenna Pillay adds: “We have also been incredibly fortunate to have our mentor Rebecca [Nahr], who previously represented the UK at the Enactus World Cup. Her experience has been a guiding light for the team and has played a huge role in getting us to where we are today.”

The Enactus team is drawn from the MDX Enactus Society, which is open to any student with a passion for sustainability, social enterprise and business for good to develop projects to tackle real world sustainability challenges and currently has more than 500 members.

The Top 20 teams will present their work at the NextGen Takeover at the Excel Centre, London, on the 14th of April. They will share their stories with a panel of senior business leaders from organisations including BDO, Enterprise Mobility, and Unilever, competing for the chance to represent the UK on the global stage in Brazil.

Amy Brereton, CEO of Enactus UK & Ireland, said: “Reaching the Top 20 is a huge achievement, but the real win is seeing the leadership and creativity they bring to their communities. The young people we work with are a powerful reminder of what is possible when we support young people with the skills, confidence, and agency to lead."
Students and supporters are also invited to watch the Enactus UK & Ireland final and can register for a free ticket.