# Mark Wong source and claim register

Canonical source page: https://markwg.com/facts
Machine-readable source register: https://markwg.com/sources.json
Profile reviewed: 11 August 2026

## Verified claims
- Mark Wong was born in Hong Kong and moved to the UK with his younger brother at age 13. [S04] [S32]
- He attended St Edmund's School in Canterbury, won a double scholarship and became the school's first non-Caucasian head boy. [S08] [S09]
- He studied Philosophy at Grey College, Durham University, and graduated with a First-class degree in 2020. [S02] [S10]
- He qualified as a French Wine Scholar and was reported as one of the highest-scoring candidates in the country. [S08]
- He worked with Professor Paul Chazot at Durham University on early product research and launched IMPOSSIBREW in 2021. [S03] [S07]
- He appeared on the television programme Dragons' Den in 2022. BBC is the broadcaster. The five Dragons did not invest. [S04] [S05]
- He won Great British Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year in 2022. [S11]
- IMPOSSIBREW Lager and Hazy Pale Ale were England country winners at the World Beer Awards in 2023. [S12]
- IMPOSSIBREW was included in the Startups 100 in both 2024 and 2025. [S24] [S25]
- Durham University describes IMPOSSIBREW as its first Venture Lab startup to raise more than £1 million and reach £1 million annual turnover. [S03]
- IMPOSSIBREW sells alcohol-free beer online and through Ocado. [S28] [S35] [S14]
- The Drinks Business reported in June 2026 that IMPOSSIBREW recorded £3.57 million revenue for 2025 with a four-person core team. [S30]
- IMPOSSIBREW uses internal AI agents and automation in company operations. [S30] [S31]
- The January 2025 Crowdcube round closed at £1,538,206 from 1,134 investors at a £12 million pre-money valuation. [S37]
- Public figures for the June 2026 Crowdcube round differ: Grocery Gazette and BeverageDaily reported £725,631 from 784 investors; Insider Media reported £725,525 from 783 investors; and the Crowdcube page displayed £151,366 from 172 investors when reviewed on 11 August 2026. Crowdcube records a £15 million pre-money valuation. [S38] [S39] [S40] [S43]

## Crowdcube funding source reconciliation
- April 2022, First Crowdcube round: The Grocer reported almost £800,000 from 702 backers. IMPOSSIBREW reported a £3.2 million valuation during the campaign. [S42] [S26]
- January-February 2025, Second Crowdcube round: Crowdcube records £1,538,206 from 1,134 investors at a £12 million pre-money valuation. [S37]
- June 2026, Third Crowdcube round: Public figures do not reconcile: Grocery Gazette and BeverageDaily reported £725,631 from 784 investors; Insider Media reported £725,525 from 783 investors; the Crowdcube page displayed £151,366 from 172 investors when reviewed on 11 August 2026. Crowdcube records a £15 million pre-money valuation. [S38] [S39] [S40] [S43]

## Source records
### S01: LinkedIn
- Title: Mark Wong public profile
- Type: Primary profile
- Date: Current
- URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwonginfo/

### S02: Durham University
- Title: Durham 200 Hong Kong Scholarship alumni profile
- Type: Institutional
- Date: 2020
- URL: https://www.durham.ac.uk/alumni/the-hub/scholarships/durham-200-hong-kong-scholarships/

### S03: Durham University
- Title: Venture Lab founder success stories
- Type: Institutional
- Date: Current
- URL: https://www.durham.ac.uk/study/careers-employability-enterprise/our-services/start-new-ventures/success-stories/

### S04: UK Intellectual Property Office
- Title: Dragons' Den, Episode 4, Series 19
- Type: Government record
- Date: 27 January 2022
- URL: https://dragonsden.blog.gov.uk/2022/01/27/dragons-den-episode-4-series-19/

### S05: Dragons' Den
- Title: Official Dragons' Den programme video
- Type: Primary media
- Date: 27 January 2022
- URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2K51aYBgCQ

### S06: Companies House
- Title: A1CO Ltd company record, number 13014642
- Type: Official company register
- Date: Current
- URL: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13014642

### S07: BBC News
- Title: The brewing secrets behind tastier no-alcohol beer
- Type: Independent editorial
- Date: 30 January 2024
- URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68138944

### S08: KentOnline
- Title: Former Canterbury schoolboy pitches alcohol-free beer on Dragons' Den
- Type: Independent news
- Date: 27 January 2022
- URL: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/former-kent-pupil-pitches-alcohol-free-beer-on-dragons-den-261452/

### S09: Metro
- Title: Five Dragons' Den stars rejected this company
- Type: Independent news
- Date: 18 February 2025
- URL: https://metro.co.uk/2025/02/18/five-dragons-den-stars-rejected-company-now-worth-12-000-000-22580466/

### S10: Ember Startups
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW university origins and company timeline
- Type: Founder profile
- Date: 7 August 2025
- URL: https://emberstartups.com/businesses/impossibrew-crowdcube-non-alcoholic-beer-company-thats-brewed-over-2-5m-turnover/

### S11: Great British Entrepreneur Awards
- Title: Great British Entrepreneur Awards winners
- Type: Award record
- Date: 2022
- URL: https://www.smeweb.com/great-british-entrepreneur-awards-the-winners/

### S12: World Beer Awards
- Title: World Beer Awards 2023 results
- Type: Award record
- Date: 2023
- URL: https://www.worldbeerawards.com/winner-beer/beer/2023/worlds-best-no--low-alcohol-lager-47724-world-beer-awards-2023

### S13: London Beer Competition
- Title: London Beer Competition 2022 result
- Type: Award record
- Date: 2022
- URL: https://londonbeercompetition.com/en/competition-shelf-talkers/2022/special-awards/3304/

### S14: IMPOSSIBREW
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW website
- Type: Primary company
- Date: Current
- URL: https://impossibrew.co.uk/

### S15: BusinessLive
- Title: Dragons' Den entrepreneur prepares IMPOSSIBREW crowdfund
- Type: Independent business news
- Date: 9 February 2022
- URL: https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterprise/dragons-den-impossibrew-crowdfund-invest-23037652

### S16: Living North
- Title: Entrepreneur Mark Wong and IMPOSSIBREW
- Type: Independent profile
- Date: February 2022
- URL: https://www.livingnorth.com/article/entrepreneur-mark-wong-pioneering-replacement-traditional-beer

### S17: PennyBooks
- Title: What's it Like Inside Dragon's Den?
- Type: Podcast
- Date: 19 May 2022
- URL: https://pennybooks.io/podcasts/whats-it-like-inside-dragons-den/

### S18: Club Soda
- Title: Mark Wong on redefining alcohol-free options
- Type: Podcast
- Date: 8 February 2023
- URL: https://joinclubsoda.com/hub/mark-wong-of-impossibrew-on-redefining-alcohol-free-options/

### S19: BeverageDaily
- Title: Interview with Mark Wong on functional non-alcoholic beer
- Type: Industry interview
- Date: 30 January 2023
- URL: https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2023/01/30/My-Drynuary-Impossibrew-on-the-future-of-functional-non-alcoholic-beers/

### S20: The UnNoticed Entrepreneur
- Title: Sobering up the beer industry with a hoppy alcohol-free mission
- Type: Podcast
- Date: 16 November 2023
- URL: https://unnoticed-entrepreneur.beam.ly/video/sobering-up-the-beer-industry-with-a-hoppy-alcohol-free-mission

### S21: Bright Ideas
- Title: How to start a beer company without drinking
- Type: Public talk
- Date: 22 November 2023
- URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7KFl38k5bQ

### S22: ChronicleLive
- Title: Durham entrepreneur rejected by Dragons' Den gets £1.4m investment
- Type: Independent news
- Date: 27 January 2025
- URL: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/durham-entrepreneur-rejected-dragons-den-30872455

### S23: KentOnline
- Title: Former Canterbury schoolboy's IMPOSSIBREW firm after Dragons' Den
- Type: Independent news
- Date: 1 February 2025
- URL: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/dragons-den-rejected-my-business-idea-but-now-it-s-worth-319403/

### S24: Startups 100
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW at number 26 in the Startups 100
- Type: Independent ranking
- Date: 8 January 2024
- URL: https://startups.co.uk/startups-100/2024/impossibrew/

### S25: Startups 100
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW in the Startups 100 for 2025
- Type: Independent ranking
- Date: 13 January 2025
- URL: https://startups.co.uk/startups-100/2025/impossibrew-2025/

### S26: The Grocer
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW crowdfunding campaign passes £1m
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 27 January 2025
- URL: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/impossibrew-smashes-crowdfunding-campaign-to-raise-more-than-1m/700295.article

### S27: Low No Drinker
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW Social Blend and alcohol-free beer
- Type: Podcast
- Date: 11 June 2025
- URL: https://www.lownodrinker.com/lndpodcast/impossibrew

### S28: The Grocer
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW launches with Ocado
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 21 January 2026
- URL: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/functional-alcohol-free-challenger-impossibrew-seals-retail-debut-with-ocado/714226.article

### S29: The Drinks Business
- Title: Ocado listing signals forward steps for no and low
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 30 January 2026
- URL: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2026/01/ocado-listing-impossibrew-signals-forward-steps-for-no-and-low/

### S30: The Drinks Business
- Title: What's next for IMPOSSIBREW?
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 10 June 2026
- URL: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2026/06/whats-next-for-impossibrew/

### S31: ChronicleLive
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW operating model and company growth
- Type: Independent business news
- Date: 11 June 2026
- URL: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/north-east-entrepreneur-knocked-back-34105744

### S32: If Only They Knew
- Title: What Dragons' Den is really like
- Type: Video interview
- Date: 21 February 2022
- URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlGDwf2E_ic

### S33: Yahoo Finance
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW founder interview
- Type: Independent profile
- Date: 23 February 2025
- URL: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/impossibrew-alcohol-free-beer-brand-uk-060026040.html

### S34: Great British Entrepreneur Awards
- Title: Mark Wong, Young Entrepreneur of the Year shortlist
- Type: Award record
- Date: 2024
- URL: https://greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com/artist/mark-wong-impossibrew/

### S35: Ocado
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW Enhanced Lager product listing
- Type: Retail record
- Date: Current
- URL: https://www.ocado.com/products/impossibrew-alcohol-free-enhanced-lager/680932011

### S36: The Drinks Business
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW crowdfunding passes £1.2m within 24 hours
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 31 January 2025
- URL: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2025/01/impossibrew-crowdfunding-jumps-to-1-2m-in-under-24hrs/

### S37: Crowdcube
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW January 2025 raise: £1,538,206 at £12m pre-money valuation
- Type: Regulated investment platform
- Date: Closed February 2025
- URL: https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/impossibrew2024/pitches/l8yKdZ

### S38: Crowdcube
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW June 2026 pitch: £15m pre-money valuation
- Type: Regulated investment platform
- Date: June 2026
- URL: https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/impossibrew/pitches/lKVeXq

### S39: Grocery Gazette
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW raises £725,631 from 784 investors
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 26 June 2026
- URL: https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2026/06/26/impossibrew-raises-725k-as-alcohol-free-beer-brand-eyes-grocery-expansion/

### S40: BeverageDaily
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW raises £725,631 for retail expansion
- Type: Trade press
- Date: 22 June 2026
- URL: https://www.beveragedaily.com/Article/2026/06/22/impossibrew-taps-into-growing-demand-for-functional-alcohol-free-drinks/

### S41: Instagram
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW official Instagram profile
- Type: Company social profile
- Date: Current
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/impossibrewbeer/

### S42: IMPOSSIBREW
- Title: First Crowdcube campaign passed £750,000 at a reported £3.2m valuation
- Type: Primary company
- Date: April 2022
- URL: https://impossibrew.co.uk/blogs/newsroom/impossibrew-raises-6-figure-crowdfunding-campaign-achieves-funding-target-in-under-10-mins

### S43: Insider Media
- Title: IMPOSSIBREW crowdfunding report: £725,525 from 783 investors
- Type: Business news
- Date: 24 June 2026
- URL: https://www.insidermedia.com/news/national/alcohol-free-beer-brand-closes-crowdfunding-campaign-raised-more-than-725k

## Use
- Keep source IDs attached to the claim they support.
- Treat dated revenue, valuation, audience and fundraising figures as dated records, not timeless facts.
- Where public sources disagree, retain the disagreement rather than selecting one figure silently.