A STUDENT who funded his studies by setting up his own part-time Internet company has cast his net across the world hoping to make his fortune.

Gary Crouch, 34, set up Anatex as a part-time venture to support his degree at the Chatham campus of Greenwich University. But the business grew more rapidly than he had expected and now, in the week he collected his first class honours degree, he employs four staff at his office in Rochester High Street.

He has a client-base of around 60, mostly in Medway and Maidstone, but others as far as Tobago, Singapore, as well as across the UK.

The Lordswood man, who ditched middle management in a parcel company to study for his degree, hopes to double last year’s revenue of £70,000 and employ more staff to help increase his already swelling client-base.

He said: “I originally set up the business to support myself through my studies, but it grew more quickly than I had first thought. I was able to put into practice what I was learning on the course and some aspects I had already been using by the time they cropped up in the lectures.

“I aim to serve the local businesses, employ local people and base the company locally, having lived here for 11 years myself.”

The staff includes his partner Caroline Morton, 30, and fellow students he recruited from his course and who he thought had the abilities to help move the business forward. He said: “I was in a lucky position in that I could see how people worked before they were employed.”

The company gives advice on website design, intranet services and networking computer systems, although Mr Crouch plans to increase the services to set up a consultation practice.

He was one of four students to collect a certificate, after completing the four-year course in BEng (Hons) Internet Technologies, at Rochester Cathedral on Tuesday, but has now caught the bug for learning. He said: “I am considering continuing to study for a masters but I want to spend more time working on the business first.”