Josep Navarro

Meet Josep. Josep chose Herts to help drive his entrepreneurial ambitions forward and he now has an award-winning business.

A university that matched his ambitions

Josep already had two bachelor’s and two master’s degrees before he decided to study Computer Science at Herts. He wanted to find an online course that would boost his technical skills and a university that aligned with his entrepreneurial ambitions. Josep says, ‘The BSc (Hons) Computer Science (Online) degree helped me gain a comprehensive view of the field and offered a strong scientific and technical foundation for my business ventures.

‘The flexibility of the programme was also a key factor for me. It enabled me to seamlessly integrate study with my professional life.’

One of Josep’s best experiences from his course was his final project, where he dived into researching and implementing different agtech (agriculture technology) hardware and software. Josep was also able to foster lasting connections with his tutors, who have continued to offer him invaluable support beyond his studies as he continues to grow his business.

Creating an award-winning business

Josep co-founded UVERD, a company that builds low-cost AI-based monitoring technology to improve soil integrity, crop yield, and plant nutrient density. Josep says he used the skills he gained from Herts to grow his business, and his goal is to make UVERD an essential tool for initiatives focused on the long-term health of the natural environment and the sustainability of food systems.

Josep and his business partner, Moritz Laas, won the Breakthrough science and technologies award at Flare 2023, the University’s annual enterprise ideas challenge.