Leeds entrepreneur wins Young Innovator Award for app to help us put down our phones

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A Leeds entrepreneur has won a national award for his innovative project, designed to reward people for spending quality time away from their phones.

Adam Derradji is one of 60 young people with ideas to change the world who has scooped a Young Innovator Award.

The 28-year-old is creating an app to help people resist the urge to reach for their devices, carving out more time to spend intentionally.

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While studying at the University of Sheffield, Adam was involved in a project run by the Enactus society, HOPE, to help build employability skills for victims of human trafficking.

Adam Derradji, 28, is one of 60 young people with ideas to change the world to have scooped a Young Innovator Award (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)Adam Derradji, 28, is one of 60 young people with ideas to change the world to have scooped a Young Innovator Award (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)
Adam Derradji, 28, is one of 60 young people with ideas to change the world to have scooped a Young Innovator Award (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)

He said working on the project ignited an entrepreneurial spark, but found himself being distracted by his phone as the pressures of juggling different projects mounted.

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“That emotional state is like a vicious cycle and I was wasting a lot of time," he said.

“When I finished uni, I reflected on why I was spending so much time on things like watching YouTube and on my phone.

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Adam's app will offer rewards and long-lasting incentives to break down unhealthy scrolling habits (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)Adam's app will offer rewards and long-lasting incentives to break down unhealthy scrolling habits (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)
Adam's app will offer rewards and long-lasting incentives to break down unhealthy scrolling habits (Photo: Bruce Rollinson)

“I got super interested in that and I’ve consumed so many books in the years since.”

After researching the "rabbit hole" of screen time and setting boundaries, Adam came up with the idea for a gamified timer to help users manage their time more efficiently.

The app will offer rewards and long-lasting incentives to break down unhealthy scrolling habits, helping to manage the emotions that cause people to reach for their devices.

Adam added: “I wanted to make focus work, deep work or spending your time intentionally more fun, more social and more rewarding.

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"I see the idea as willpower on steroids, so you’re not just relying on willpower - it gives you a reason not to give in.

“With features such as infinite scroll and autoplay, those defaults that make it harder to get off - there’s no stopping cues, like when you’re watching a film or a series and the credits come on, that’s a nudge to go to bed.

“Instead, it autoplays to the next episode and you see what happens after the cliff-hanger, so you think, ‘I might as well watch this’. That’s how you start bingeing.”

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Adam's idea impressed judges at the Young Innovator Awards and he has scooped a £5,000 grant, one-on-one business coaching and an allowance to cover living costs.

The Awards recognise young people from across the UK with great business ideas who have the potential to become future leaders in innovation.

He says the money and support from his mentor will go strides in helping him bring his app to life, covering development and infrastructure costs and giving him added credibility.

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“I'm super grateful for the people who helped me on this journey," Adam added.

“I’ve always been motivated with helping people and I think I get that from my mum, I’ve seen her work super hard to requalify as a doctor in this country.

"She had to grind so hard to get to where she is and now she's an amazing doctor specialising in psychiatry.

“I see my app as in the mental wellness space, creating good healthy habits and managing screen time. My mum is a big proponent of people to balancing their time.

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“If it’s successful and people have benefited from it, I’d be content with that."

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