A British teenager has transformed a bedroom startup into a thriving enterprise, earning international recognition and a substantial cash prize for his innovative cooling towel product.
Harrison Nott, 16, of Essex, England, secured £150,000 (approximately $200,000) at the Alibaba.com CoCreate Pitch competition in London this past November. The young inventor competed against 15,000 other entrepreneurs from around the world, ultimately emerging as the sole grand prize winner among 30 finalists who presented their business concepts to a panel of judges.
The award-winning product, marketed under the CoolTowel brand, features a three-layer polyester construction designed to retain moisture and provide cooling relief for up to two hours. Users activate the cooling effect by wetting, wringing, and snapping the towel. This simple yet effective design addresses a gap Nott identified in the United Kingdom market for high-quality cooling products.
The teenager launched CoolTowel in 2023 from his bedroom, leveraging social media platforms and e-commerce to build his customer base. Through strategic marketing on TikTok and a Shopify website, Nott has processed more than 30,000 orders and generated £100,000 in revenue during his first year of operation. His most successful single day of sales reached £15,000 last summer.
The rapid expansion of his business has necessitated significant adjustments to his academic schedule. Nott now operates on a part-time school timetable to accommodate the demands of managing his growing company while completing his education.
"I have been very, very busy," Nott acknowledged. "It has gone from a relatively small side hustle run from my bedroom to a big business. I have had to grow up very fast."
The competition that brought Nott national attention featured prominent judges, including former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, who was sufficiently impressed to exchange contact information with the young entrepreneur. Nott expressed hope that Ferdinand might become an investor to help scale his business further.
The teenager's entrepreneurial journey began at age eight, when he started reselling items on eBay. He credits his father, Matthew Nott, 42, with providing crucial guidance and inspiration throughout his business ventures. The elder Nott, himself a business owner, has observed his son's resilience in the face of multiple failed startups.
"When he fails at something, he does not just say, 'Oh I tried.' He works out where he went wrong," Matthew Nott stated. "That is so important in life."
Harrison Nott's passion for fitness and squash initially drove him to seek better cooling solutions for athletes. With assistance from his business teacher, he trademarked the CoolTowel brand and established a formal company structure. The young entrepreneur has demonstrated a commitment to community engagement by donating products to charities supporting individuals with illnesses and sponsoring a sports day at his school, where he also presented an assembly about his business model.
Looking ahead, Nott plans to pursue A-level Business Studies and aspires to mentor other aspiring entrepreneurs. His stated goal extends beyond personal success to helping others develop their own business ventures and acquire valuable skills.
"I want to help people be their best self and launch their business if they want to, or get that skill they want to learn," Nott explained. "I have made a lot of mistakes but now I have got the formula."
The substantial prize money from the international competition positions the teenage entrepreneur to expand his operations significantly while continuing his education. His success demonstrates how young innovators can identify market opportunities, develop practical solutions, and build sustainable businesses through persistence and strategic thinking.