Teaching entrepreneur looking for backing of Richard Branson

An enterprising teacher is hoping to secure investment from Sir Richard Branson for her online tutoring company through a nationwide business development competition.

Elisa Lodato, 35, who grew up in Oval Road South, Dagenham, launched ThinkTutor in November last year in a bid to share inspirational teaching courses with ambitious students.

Featuring a variety of specified in-depth tuition, she is currently in the running of the New Things category of Virgin Media Business’s Pitch to Rich 2015, competing for up to £50,000 worth of investment.

A former Google advertiser, Elisa studied English at Cambridge University – which she now teaches in Surrey – but insists it was her time at All Saints Catholic School, in Terling Road, Dagenham, that inspired her to launch her own business.

“I was very fortunate that I went to that school and had wonderful teachers,” she said.

“But why not make inspirational teaching more available to everyone?”

ThinkTutor offers a range of 12-hour, in-depth tuition courses complete with comprehension activities, video analyses, written assignments, model answers and detailed mark schemes.

Charging for each course, Elisa hopes to provide an income for dedicated teachers.

For more information or to vote for her business visit virginmediabusiness.co.uk/pitch-to-rich/new-things/thinktutor/