Oxford graduate David Langer started Groupspaces after he became frustrated with the lack of quality online tools for supporting university clubs. His web site, founded with a fellow graduate, aims at making life simpler for club owners. The site handles invites to events, manages lists of members and meshes with online social networks like Facebook
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Mr. Langer, in a slightly crumpled white shirt and jeans, looks very much like a recent graduate. He was one of those British entrepreneurs who formed part of a Web Mission 2008 to a California. Mr. Langer and his partner had already received initial funding for their start-up back home, but also fetched two lucrative investment offers that were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars during the Web Mission.

Courtier-Dutton’s music web site Slicethepie was also in the spotlight. Bands signing up to the site have their music pieces reviewed by users, who can then opt to buy shares in groups that they like. For many unsigned bands, it is a way of raising funds. For fans, those shares can bring a good profit if a record firm decides to sign the band. Slicethepie has already raised over £1m in funding in Britain. But Courtier-Dutton informs that he got to interact with key individuals behind social networking sites, something as important as receiving money.