Class of 2018 MSc Banking and Finance graduate Mahesh has created an app focused on tackling loneliness across generations. Endorsed by the Government of the Canary Islands, he has used his personal experiences to shape and influence perceptions of loneliness and created a tool to combat it.
How it started…
I came to study at Essex after receiving encouragement from my mum who’d previously lived in the UK. I’d always thought about studying abroad but the positive endorsement from her and my dad gave me the push I needed. Having originally studied Business Management and Administration for my undergraduate degree at home in Tenerife, the MSc Banking and Finance at Essex felt like the best next step as I wanted to become a private banker.
I loved my time at Essex. The campus always felt like home. The friends I made, despite being spread across the globe, are still a huge part of my life and wider support system.
After completing my Masters I went into banking, initially working for Credit Suisse in Luxembourg before relocating to Brussels to join the European Association of Public Banks. After working for a couple of years within a very corporate environment, I began to lose motivation and decided to make the move back to Tenerife to reflect on what I wanted to focus on for the longer term. At the same time, I was going through a difficult love situation. My dream life was falling apart around me.
Upon returning to Tenerife, I struggled to fit back into to island life. I’d been away for so long and suddenly felt like a stranger unsure of how to connect again with my people. On the surface it was perceived that I was brimming with confidence, being well-travelled and having had early career successes, but being misunderstood made me feel lost and very lonely.
It took some courage, but I reached out to my closest friends – those I’d found during my time at Essex. I opened up about the way I was feeling and the impact it was having. Despite the physical distance between us, I felt heard and understood during those videocalls. Once I’d started to talk, and wasn’t made to feel silly for doing so, I found myself discussing my personal issues with random strangers! It became clear to me that in life there are struggles that we will all face sooner or later – heartbreaks, loss, relocating to a new city, grief, family conflicts, career worries, health problems – and that by having opportunities to talk through our experiences we can create meaningful connections and learn from one another.
Business development
Loneliness had a profound effect on me, at a time in my life when the societal expectation was that of financial stability and social freedom. After speaking to a wide range of people about my loneliness, I began to research the topic and found that the elderly population and those aged between 18-30 (like me at that time) were most likely to experience loneliness in the present day. I found that the issue had become a strategic aim for many local authorities due to the longer-term implications social isolation can result in. To me there seemed to be an obvious solution, re-create the same online safe space I experienced for those suffering the same way as me.
Despite having no technical knowledge, and feeling slightly out of my depth, I began to design a prototype for an app that would allow young and old to match, open up about their lives, and build meaningful connections. I discussed the idea with my dad, an entrepreneur himself, and immediately had his backing from the outset. He could see the potential for the business and understood the passion behind it.
I threw myself into it. All in. I used my savings to build an MVP and support myself with living expenses. My family helped me to take the first steps, before I began to reach out to local government bodies who immediately saw how it aligned with their agenda and endorsed the project.
The business: Dialogae
Dialogae is a pioneering platform promoting intergenerational connections through video calls and messaging function to tackle unwanted loneliness.
The Dialogae app has two interfaces, requiring the younger user to complete more actions. Dialogae has an algorithm that finds the perfect match, ensuring both parties share interests and are free at the same time.
Support from Essex Startups
Maintaining a connection with the University of Essex has been on my agenda since graduating. I became aware of the Essex Startups offering through an alumni communication. I reached out to the team and let them know what I was working on. I have received mentoring from various members of the team, who have provided helpful advice regarding my next steps.
Entrepreneur-in-Residence James Cracknell offered an introduction to some entrepreneurs in Spain. Somehow this triggered a butterfly effect that led me to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston USA. I was selected with my start-up to participate in their highly competitive Bootcamp: Venture Advancement Programme. The experience was intensive, but invaluable to my development as an entrepreneur.
Although my mentoring with James no longer takes place on a regular basis, I continue to reach out to him each time I’m in need of some guidance or keen to share my business successes. I am thankful to have the support of Essex Startups throughout my journey.
How it’s going…
The pilot project was launched in partnership with the Government of the Canary Islands in November 2024. The app has 10 active users, who each participated in the training programme before proactively organising ongoing meetings with their match. Feedback from users has been extremely positive, with ease of app functionality, increased energy levels after the calls, and decreased feelings of isolation/loneliness being reported by all. We are about to begin training with the second cohort of volunteers.
We are still in the early stages, but I can see the Dialogae experience is working the same way as the videocalls worked for me and making a positive impact in society.
Finding a work/life balance can be hard at times. The business is always on my mind, which has resulted in me firing off an email at 1am because something has popped into my head as I’m drifting off to sleep! It’s not always easy to disconnect and I find myself working for at least a couple of hours every day.
I have lived in several countries, but re-adapting to my hometown has been the hardest transition. I had to re-discover the place I called home. I started to re-build connections, making new friends, and recover emotionally. Right now, I am doing well, but I would be lying if I say that returning home and starting a business was easy. Not at all!
What’s next…
Following the second stage of the pilot project with increased users, we will assess the feedback for both the usability of the app and the content of the training programme to refine and modify all areas of the service offering. We expect to expand to mainland Spain soon and make it available for more people.
Words of wisdom
Taking a slow pace is often the fastest route to achieve your goals.
The best ideas often come from the most obvious places. Use your own experiences to drive you. If you have a problem that you know impacts you and others, then you may have a potential business idea right in front of you.
Don’t worry if your Plan A doesn’t turn out to be all that you thought it would be. Situations change, people change, and resorting to Plan B, or even Plan C, may turn out to give you the fulfilment you’ve always been seeking.
Entrepreneurship is very tough, but I love what I do and the fact that I am helping people. Finally, I have recovered my smile again! 😊
Find out more
If you have a potential business idea, or are interested in developing your business skills, find out more about the training, events and support Essex Startups offers to current students and recent graduates.
