Max Beech

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Intro

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Since leaving Exeter, I have continued to develop the technology start-up I co-founded during my final year, Intro. The start-up drastically improves how businesses with a physical presence understand and engage with their customers. We have certainly been had many high points in our first year of working full-time on it as well as our fair share of failures. We were valued at over $0.5m following a pre-seed investment in September and have since been fortunate enough to exhibit at the world’s largest tech show, CES, in Las Vegas, have our technology be used by over 150 businesses, as well as present to the Duke of York in Exeter.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

Upon graduation, my degree gave me the confidence to pursue my own business in the knowledge that if it didn’t work out, there would still be a wealth of exciting opportunities to apply for. Starting my own venture with a close childhood friend has been incredibly rewarding and enjoyable and I can highly recommend graduates and current students alike to jump in and give it a go.

What did you enjoy most about studying here?

I have had the absolute pleasure of being exposed to an incredible variety of experiences during my three years at Exeter. What stands out in particular though were the opportunities I had throughout my studies to lead the teaching of coding to over 300 fellow students. Supported by a fantastic group of other volunteers, the ability to share our programming knowledge with students who wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to building websites or creating games was a real honour and something that just wouldn’t be possible outside of a university.

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

I was incredibly impressed by my offer-holder open day experience at Exeter. The campus was absolutely stunning and everyone was incredibly welcoming. Beyond that though, and unlike other universities I had visited, Exeter’s Computer Science department spent time talking with me individually as well as giving me a fantastic taste of what I could expect as an undergraduate.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Alongside the fantastic mix of practical and theoretical work I undertook as part of my degree, the entrepreneurial experience I gained through Exeter’s Entrepreneurs society along with the university’s Think Try Do programme has been invaluable.

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

To anyone looking to start their own businesses, just do it. Don’t wait for the ‘right’ moment, just jump in and try something now. The advice and experiences given by the Exeter Entrepreneurs society and the Think Try Do team are incredibly useful so I strongly advise reaching out to them.

What are your plans for the future?

As we expand our team at Intro, we are looking to continue to grow our list of partners, particularly in the event space.