A 16-year-old entrepreneur from Essex, UK, has chosen not to attend college to focus on his towel business, CoolTowel, which he started in his bedroom in 2023. Harrison Nott's venture has generated more than £750,000 in revenue this year, driven by a surge in demand during Britain's summer heatwaves. His journey received a major boost when he won the Alibaba.com CoCreate Pitch competition, beating 15,000 entrepreneurs worldwide and securing a £150,000 prize. Former England footballer Rio Ferdinand, one of the judges, was impressed by the teenager and later invested in his business. Harrison says CoolTowel has recorded around 80,000 sales through TikTok Shop and Shopify this year, although the company is yet to turn a profit.
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