Merlin Ohta is a second year Natural Sciences student and project lead for her fledgling business Regenerate Bone Broth. What started as a curiosity-driven visit to the 2023 Changemakers Catalyst Fund event turned out to be a pivotal moment that led Merlin to give her idea a go - creating a child-friendly version of bone broth. With support and guidance from the Changemakers team and the invaluable expertise of her industry mentor, Lily Cheng, founder of the Rising Network, her journey turned into a rewarding process of personal growth and professional development. Merlin shares how the Changemakers experience, with the help of the Catalyst Fund, allowed her to turn a simple idea into a promising prototype and product - and why she believes it’s the perfect opportunity for anyone tempted to take the leap into entrepreneurship.
Regenerate’s mission, born out of Merlin’s passion for nutrition, is to help people increase their nutritional intake with its fresh, nutrient and flavour rich, bone broth - promoting gut health and overall wellness.
Merlin says:
“When I first heard about Changemakers during Freshers' Week, I was intrigued. Out of curiosity, I attended the 2023 Changemakers Catalyst Fund event and watched the previous year’s winners present their work. Little did I know that this would become a turning point in my university experience. The event left me inspired; I realised what an incredible opportunity this programme was, and I had no doubt I wanted to get involved.”
In the first few weeks of term, Merlin attended a few Tuesday Talks, soaking up the inspiration and advice shared by speakers. But what really made an impact was the existence of the Catalyst Fund - a valuable resource that could bring ideas to life.
Over the winter, Merlin worked on the concept of Regenerate Bone Broth and her initial thoughts began to take shape in her mind. The idea came from her growing interest in nutrition, but Merlin was slightly unsure how to take her next steps without any formal business knowledge.
Merlin continues:
“Putting my business idea forward and applying for the Catalyst Fund felt like a long shot, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was worth pursuing. With encouragement I decided to take the plunge. I’m so glad I did because I learnt things I wasn’t expecting to learn. I was blown away when we discovered we had been chosen as one of the six winning teams, awarded £1,300 in prize money, and complemented by hands-on mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and leaders.
The most rewarding part of the process was working with my team. We met during the Catalyst Fund Development Day, and together, we turned a simple idea into something tangible. Our original concept evolved as we worked together, brainstorming and problem-solving.
Through our research, we identified a gap in the market: creating a version of the product tailored for children. We focused on developing a prototype, which turned out to be an exciting and creative experience. Experimenting with what would work, figuring out how to feasibly put a product together, and addressing challenges head-on taught me so much.
This wasn’t just about creating a product—it was about learning a multitude of skills along the way. We dived into website development, public engagement, and brand building. Perhaps most importantly, I learned how to reach out for help when there was a knowledge gap. It’s surprising how willing people are to share their expertise if you just ask.
The process was as rewarding as the outcome. Changemakers provided a springboard to take those first steps, encouraging me to embrace the “just try it” mindset.
Reflecting on Regenerate’s journey, I can confidently say that participating in Changemakers was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It wasn’t just about the end result but the personal growth and satisfaction of seeing an idea come to life.
If you have an idea that excites you, even if you don’t know where to start, just give it a shot! You’ll gain knowledge, develop new skills, and feel proud of what you achieve. Changemakers offers a space where you’re free to experiment, learn, and grow and to make a change in the world.”
Merlin is the project lead at Regenerate Bone Broth, and is joined by Uzair Ahmed, ARU, Computer Science, who provides technical support and website/application development, and Danielle Whitelock, ARU, Business with Human Resource Management, responsible for business development and marketing.
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) are sponsors and supporters of Changemakers and the Catalyst Fund initiative. Prof Gary Packham, Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at ARU said:
“ARU is delighted to be associated with the Homerton Changemakers programme. It is inspiring to see so many students with a real passion for delivering social change and value through entrepreneurship.
Through Changemakers there is a real commitment to social and economic inclusion, which is enabling the next generation of responsible entrepreneurs to not only realise their potential, but also do well by doing good.”
Upcoming Changemakers events
Don’t miss out on Changemakers upcoming events – you can find all the details in the links below:
17 February 2025 Catalyst Fund Development Day I - Not your regular hackathon: Microplastics, A Human Problem
17 March Catalyst Fund Development Day II & Networking over Pizza and Drinks
More about the Changemakers Programme and the Catalyst Fund
The Changemakers programme at Homerton College is dedicated to equipping young individuals with essential life-skills, tools and resources to be able to make real and positive change in the world.
The Changemakers Catalyst Fund Initiative is now in its third year, building its reputation as a highly-regarded opportunity for the Changemakers’ student community. Grants are awarded for establishing a social enterprise or business, to support an existing start-up or project, to develop a creative project or campaign or for research towards a new enterprise. Projects can be in any field but must be focused on public good and societal change, and students are encouraged to embrace the use of technology. Teams have the chance to secure up to £2,000 in funding, complemented by hands-on mentoring from experienced entrepreneurs and leaders through industry partner Cambridge Wireless, TTP, ARU and from Homerton’s own alumni community. A springboard for a growing number of start-up enterprises, the Catalyst Fund provides much-needed support and investment at a crucial stage of the students’ fledgling projects.
Homerton Changemakers is grateful to Cambridge Wireless for their continuing support of this project. It is also grateful to TTP and ARU for sponsoring two of the Catalyst Fund prizes and again to TTP for being the key sponsor for the showcase event.
For more information please contact changemakers@homerton.cam.ac.uk or visit https://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homerton-changemakers