QRky Ltd.

Graduate: Nicolas Holzherr

Course: International Business & Modern Languages, graduated 2009

Company: QRky Ltd.

QRky helps make printed materials interactive. We build online platforms for professionals and businesses that allow them to create and manage 2D mobile barcodes called QR codes.

How did you get started?
I first started running a company on the Aston campus called Co-Go Coffee. We sold take-away coffee in front of the Aston Students' Guild with advertising on the side of the cups. We used to put QR codes on some of the cups but realised that without useful information in the codes, they were too gimmicky. That's where the QRky concept was born and we've been building platforms to manage QR content since.

How has your time at Aston helped you and your business?
What I think sets Aston apart is the close-knit community and extra-curricular activities on campus. The people I met, societies I got involved in and the experiences I got from them is what brought me to do what I do now.

The practical team leadership and project management skills I learnt at Aston are probably what's been most useful to me since leaving university. Although not my favourite subject at the time, the Management Accounting modules are also proving rather useful!

How is the business going and how are you finding being an entrepreneur?
We've signed some fantastic clients and are earning a reputation for great features and results. Getting excellent reviews in newspapers and magazines like the Telegraph and the Drum is great. We've also won a number of awards.