Three Dundee University students plan to take the world by storm when they launch a new friendship-focussed health and fitness social media network.
BuddyUp is the brainchild of 26-year-old Estonian entrepreneur Vladimir Zabnin
Along with colleagues Pawel Lysik, 20, and Filip Makara, 20, fourth year student Vladimir was inspired to help students ease into University life after experiencing his own teething issues when he first moved to The City of Discovery.
Like many students who move abroad to study, the Business and Economics student experienced loneliness and struggled to find companions to socialise with.
He now hopes BuddyUp will allow students to find out more about extra-curricular activities available on campus and make new friends in the process.
He told The Courier: “This is basically a social network for people who are interested in doing sport with other people who are constrained by their timetable.
“University can be a lonely place. When you’re in first year, you’re kind of lost.
“You have to overcome the first barrier-the social barrier.
“This is something I would have certainly used when I first started University.
“BuddyUp can make this all a lot easier.
“I see this as not only a network for Britain. I see this as a worldwide network.”
The budding inventors now hope to raise £10,000 to help them get their project off the ground.
If they are successful, Vladimir hopes to have BuddyUp ready to launch in time for Dundee University students returning to University for the start of term in September.
He said: “BuddyUp encourages you to go out, not stay behind a computer screen.
“There’s healthier ways to live this life.”
To find out more about BuddyUp or to donate visit www.gofundme.com/buddyup.
