When Gil Pennant, an experienced trainer and founder of COG Community Ltd, envisioned expanding his paper-based self-help and happiness programmes into a digital solution, he knew he’d need support to bring his concept to life.
The BIG Growth Innovation Programme, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), offered that vital support by pairing innovative small businesses with expert academic teams to co-create market-ready products.
The result? A powerful collaboration that turned Gil’s idea into a working prototype.
The Happy Feeling App is a user-focused tool promoting mental wellbeing and goal setting through the science of happiness.
The challenge
Gil had already developed a suite of transformative self-help courses, most notably inspired by his book “How to Use Feeling Very Good as a Way into the Happiness Zone.” His hands-on, personal coaching was helping individuals live more fulfilled lives. However, to scale and reach more people, he needed to digitise his approach - something his team lacked the technical capability to achieve.
Gil’s challenge was twofold:
- Translate his emotionally intuitive, personal-development framework into a digital experience.
- Build a technically sound, engaging mobile app without prior software development expertise.
The collaboration
Enter the BIG Growth Innovation Programme delivered by London South Bank University (LSBU).
In early 2024, COG Community joined the BIG Growth initiative and was matched with Associate Professor and Deputy Head of Computer Science and Informatics, Lucia Otoyo from LSBU’s School of Engineering.
“It was truly rewarding. Gil’s passion for the project was infectious and created a motivating atmosphere for the entire team,” said Lucia.
Lucia brought 10+ years of experience in system architecture, software development, and requirements elicitation. Together, they worked to translate Gil’s vision into a coherent digital product roadmap. Over two months, the LSBU team, including MSc Data Science student Sheikh Muhammad Oneeb, developed the app’s architecture, features, and a fully interactive prototype.
Key features of the Happy Feeling app
Over 81 hours of academic support, the team helped design and prototype core app functionalities:
- User interface design: welcome screens, login/authentication, and intuitive navigation
- Mental health tools: a "Happiness Bank" to store positive thoughts and actions
- Mood tracking: to view, filter, and analyse mood patterns
- Goal setting: to set and monitor personal/professional goals using data insights
- Reporting tools: generate personalised mood and goal reports for user reflection
Outcomes and impact
The final design of the Happy Feeling App was completed in June 2024 and marked a major milestone for Gil’s company. The collaboration not only delivered a viable product, but also opened doors to wider community and commercial impact:
- A fully designed prototype that is “new to firm” and scalable
- Positive user feedback from early demonstrations and mindfulness sessions
- Increased visibility through LSBU workshops and exhibitions
- Strengthened interest in a potential Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)
“The BIG Growth Programme has helped turn a personal vision into a professional reality,” said Gil. “Now, I have a working app that I believe can transform lives.”
Reflections from the team
Lucia Otoyo, academic lead:
“This project brought theory into practice. It strengthened our school’s reputation for impactful community engagement and showed the value of embedding academic insights into real-world problems.”
Sheikh Muhammad Oneeb, student consultant:
“Gil’s clarity and passion made the experience incredibly meaningful. It wasn’t just an academic project - it had a real purpose and community benefit.”
Alex Hokin, project manager:
“Seeing people engage with the app’s features during our testing phase was incredibly fulfilling. Gil’s openness, energy, and mission-driven approach elevated the entire collaboration.”
Looking ahead
Gil’s vision doesn’t stop at app development. With a focus on impact, inclusivity and wellbeing he plans to:
- Partner with the NHS to offer tools for managing mental health
- Support university students with tools to balance studies and mental wellbeing
- Engage with wider audiences through public events and community training
“Happiness is a powerful tool,” Gil says. “This app is just the beginning. I want to help people transform their lives - personally, professionally, and emotionally.”
Final word
This collaboration between COG Community and LSBU demonstrates the true value of cross-sector partnerships. By combining entrepreneurial drive with academic rigour and student innovation, Gil’s vision has evolved into a scalable product with real potential for social impact.
“Never give up,” Gil reflects. “Let your passion and resilience lead you. That’s how you build something that lasts.”
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The 2025/26 BIG, Business Innovation Growth Programme was fully funded by The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It is programme of support for South London start-ups, SME’s and community-based companies in Health & Life Sciences, Net Zero & Nature, Experience & Visitor Economy and Creative. The UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK government’s improvement agenda and provides funding for local investment. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.