A BUSINESS co-founded by a former Bridgwater and Taunton College (BTC) student has been invited to pitch to international investers in London.

James Della Valle, who studied A Levels at BTC, founded the sustainable shipping company BoxxDocks last year with Alessandro Attanzio and Amarjit Pall. 

James heads up project research, development, and design for the company, which has created the world's first adaptable shipping solution: smart logistics boxes that collapse to the size of their contents.

This enables users to reduce their carbon footprints, reduce wasted shipping space, and increase the volume of goods they can deliver.

Their products are manufactured in the UK and are designed to reduce plastic consumption and utilise recycled Polypropylene (PP) plastics. 

BoxxDocks is one of 15 startups invited to pitch for between £100,000 and £1 million of investment at University College London's Demo Day on September 13. 

Entrepreneurs from UCL, Imperial College London, and King's College London will present their startups to a group of international investors.

BoxxDocks has already been listed by TechRound as one of the top 100 startups in the UK for 2021.

Bridgwater Mercury: BoxxDocks co-founder James Della Valle.BoxxDocks co-founder James Della Valle.  

It has also been shortlisted for the first-ever National Startups Awards in the Manufacturing & Engineering Category.

The company hopes pitching the investors will help it expand its sustainability mission and attract new clients. 

James said: “I chose to attend BTC because of the flexibility and freedom the college provided me in steering and tailoring my education toward my interests and goals.

“At BTC, I was able to become a truly independent learner, which provided an easy transition between my A Levels and attending UCL for both undergraduate and Master’s degrees which has only furthered my ability to start a business.”

Vanessa Hughes, head of A levels & business at BTC, said: “We’re so proud of James and his achievements since achieving his A levels, and delighted to have played a role in the development of this forward-thinking entrepreneur.

“We pride ourselves at BTC on developing students beyond the curriculum, and James is a shining example of this.

“Not only has he shown himself to have high aspirations and be a lifelong inquirer, but he has also given back to our community by volunteering to speak to recent Junior Honours students about his career, of which he should be very proud.”

For more information about studying at BTC, visit www.btc.ac.uk.