Homerton Changemakers Catalyst Fund Showcase

DermaFlo - Everyone has cold hands, feet, noses, extremities and sometimes clothing does not cut it. We have made a cosmetic cream that maintains normal warmth for those very cold days. Our first product is made from safe cosmetic materials. We froze our hands and used thermal imaging to prove that it works. Apply it before going to the shops, cold water swimming (it’s waterproof), or before bed to warm up your feet. We are using Homerton Changemakers to help bring this non-medical cosmetic to market.  In parallel, Conor and James are developing a medical device for the 1 in 5 adults with Raynaud’s. Raynaud’s causes pain, numbness, and a loss of dexterity with no real treatments available. Our cosmetic product will generate revenue for further R&D of our medical device.

Dastikari - Dastikari is a dual-platform social enterprise aiming to empowering marginalized women artisans in Pakistan by creating a sustainable income generation opportunity along with long-term skill development. The first phase launches an e-commerce marketplace, enabling artisans to access consistent revenue through urban and international markets. This platform aims to establish financial trust and social legitimacy, especially within conservative communities where women artisan’s interaction with external actors is discouraged. The second phase introduces an EdTech platform offering vocational, entrepreneurial, and digital training through regional-language video tutorials. These will be developed in collaboration with Pakistan’s premier academic institutions—Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) and Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). By integrating commerce and education, Dastikari aims to create an ecosystem of knowledge sharing, co-creation, and social and financial inclusion—ultimately transforming the lives of women artisans by bridging the rural-urban divide.

InstaMark - InstaMark is a real-time, AI-powered marking tool designed by a teacher, for teachers to transform classroom feedback. It instantly reads and evaluates students’ typed or handwritten answers (e.g. on tablet devices) during lessons, providing immediate, tailored feedback. Whether a student needs scaffolded support for mistakes or challenge questions to stretch their thinking, InstaMark responds in the moment - making feedback faster, responsive, and more personalised than ever before. If a student’s answer is incorrect, InstaMark offers step-by-step hints or prompts to guide them toward the correct understanding; if the answer is correct, it delivers a follow-up question to deepen mastery. Meanwhile, teachers see a live heatmap dashboard of the class’s performance, helping them identify misconceptions and intervene on the spot systematically. By closing the feedback loop within the class session, InstaMark frees teachers from hours of after-class marking and ensures every student receives timely support. This innovation in assessment empowers educators to focus on teaching and fosters better learning outcomes for students. Feedback in the moment. Progress on the spot.

Pathia - Pathia is an AI-powered educational platform designed to support neurodivergent students - particularly those with autism - in passing critical qualifications like Maths and English GCSEs. Inspired by the real challenges faced by students like our founder’s (Elsa) brother, Pathia transforms how GCSE questions are presented: breaking them down, rephrasing complex language, and offering visual scaffolding tailored to each learner’s cognitive profile. With millions of capable students currently locked out of opportunities due to rigid, language-heavy exams, Pathia equips them with the mental tools needed to thrive. We don’t do this by changing the system, but by adapting learning to how they think. Our goal is to pilot Pathia in schools and shape a more inclusive educational future with technology that empowers rather than excludes. Find us as at https://www.pathia.app

Tending Heart - Tending Heart aims to create a Grief Toolkit- a resource and training offering, co-designed with educators, caregivers, and students, to build grief-sensitive communities in preschools. It equips adults to support children aged 4-5 to understand and process grief, loss and death through picture books, class discussions, and emotional literacy activities. The toolkit builds adults’ capacity to model healthy nervous system regulation, and create safe, supportive environments that can hold complex and tender conversations about grief. With these skills, adults can support children to self-regulate, which research has found to be essential for lifelong learning and development. In an era of growing instability and polycrisis, this work empowers schools to build resilient, compassionate communities where children can navigate loss, strengthen emotional connection, and flourish together. The grief toolkit aims to create a more sustainable, just and regenerative educational system, in which educators, caregivers and students can regulate themselves with increasing reliability.

CrossLingo AI - Crosslingo AI aspires to empower every Filipino youth with learning facilities to achieve English proficiency, unlocking opportunities and escaping poverty. Starting with Metro Manila’s 6.92 million youth under 25—49.23% of 14.05 million (2024 estimate)—it targets 5.23 million (10% nationally). My Changemakers Change in the Community volunteering in Happyland, Tondo—Manila’s most dangerous slum and active gangland—revealed youth embracing learning despite crime and child labour. Crosslingo AI, an AI-powered companion, mimics developmental bilingual households, tailoring gamified conversations to interests and learning styles. Starting in native language, it gradually increases English for fluency. Unlike traditional language learning apps with 1.76% 30-day retention, AI companion apps have a 20.00% retention and 0.60-hour daily usage. Metro Manila’s slums provide Pisonet, Wi-Fi, affordable computer hubs, and Androids are common, enabling access. Crosslingo AI combats poverty and exploitation by fostering economic opportunity via education nationwide.

Verdance - Verdance is imagining a future where every student can help build a greener world - and every climate startup has the support it needs to thrive. Our platform connects early-stage green-tech ventures with passionate students and recent graduates through real-world, project-based collaborations. By bridging two overlooked challenges - limited opportunities for young talent and resource gaps in startups - we are creating a new pipeline from innovation to impact. With structured development, personalised matching, and long-term ecosystem building, we aim to grow the next generation of climate leaders while accelerating solutions for a sustainable future.