London-based entrepreneur Ashish Chawla is transforming his luxury interior design and build company and growing an international reputation with advanced AI technology, following strategic boost from government-funded course.
Ashish Chawla, founder of Duke of Design, is transforming luxury interior design in the UK and growing an international reputation through the use of cutting-edge AI technology. His company’s innovative AI tools have revolutionised the traditionally time-intensive 3D modelling and rendering process, slashing processing times from three days to three minutes and reducing costs from hundreds of pounds to less than £1 per visual.
3D digital rendering enables the creation of highly detailed and realistic images of interior concepts, however the process is incredibly time-consuming using traditional software. Ashish has launched one of the first UK-based companies offering AI-powered software, Foogly AI, with proprietary rendering and lighting design capabilities that radically reduce these timelines without affecting the quality of the outputs.
Ashish was inspired to develop the tools while participating in the government-funded Help to Grow: Management Course at Birkbeck Business School. He commented: "We developed our AI rendering software in-house after the Help to Grow: Management Course gave me the confidence and frameworks to embrace the potential of new technologies in driving my business forward.
“When I looked into the opportunities available, I could see that while interior design companies in countries like the US and China were using AI rendering tools, no one in the UK had fully developed this capability. Many businesses explore and discuss AI, but few deliver tangible results. We invested in building the technology which is more suited for professional firms and design style in the UK."
The technological innovation has directly led to Duke of Design securing a number of high-profile international contracts. This includes a 300-room hotel project in the Middle East that required the initial design work to be completed in under one month, a timeline previously impossible using conventional methods.
For the client, Jadara, Duke of Design’s AI-based approach was groundbreaking. “We had a project under construction, which needed to be redesigned urgently. We spoke with reputed designers in multiple countries and they all needed 3-5 months for design and rendering. When Ashish showed us that he could do the same in four weeks at a fraction of the cost, we of course hired him. This project has shown exactly what can be achieved when AI is harnessed to tackle the seemingly impossible in a very short period of time.”
Ashish credits the Help to Grow: Management Course as being transformative for his business. He says: "After the Covid pandemic, the interior design sector had taken a hit and I was on the lookout for a mentor who had been through previous recessions and successfully weathered them, to give me support and guidance.
“I found the Help to Grow: Management Course and it offered the expert support I was looking for - with access to one-to-one mentoring - and so much more. It allowed me to step back and see my business from the top down, which was crucial for identifying new opportunities. What was also so powerful was the fact that we weren’t just learning theory, we were interrogating real life examples and implementing changes in our businesses immediately."
Since completing the course, Ashish has actively grown Duke of Design’s presence in overseas markets, securing contracts spanning luxury hotel developments to high-profile government partnerships. The entrepreneur is also pursuing a strategy of growth through acquisition, and is set to take a stake in a North London architecture firm imminently.
Flora Hamilton, Executive Director at the Small Business Charter, said: "Ashish's story demonstrates the transformative power of combining strategic business education with mentorship and peer learning. His journey to becoming a true innovator in his sector shows how the right support at the right time can unlock extraordinary potential.”
“Through our network of experts at business schools, we’re helping SME leaders from a huge variety of different sectors build the strategic mindset needed for lasting success. We’re proud to support business leaders like Ash innovate and thrive on an international scale.”
The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 90% government-funded leadership programme for SME businesses, delivered by a network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools. The course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring and peer networking. Its mission is to increase economic growth and productivity through improved management and leadership practice.
Business leaders can find out more about the Help to Grow: Management Course and sign up here.
About Help to Grow: Management:
Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course designed to support business leaders and their senior managers to increase resilience, innovation, and growth within their organisations.
Developed and delivered by the network of Small Business Charter accredited business schools, the course is available in more than 60 locations across the UK and is 90% government funded. It is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments, providing business leaders with more than 50 hours of online and in person training including 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring. Individuals completing the course automatically join the Alumni Network, where they have access to exclusive events, content and partner offers, as well as the support of a UK-wide peer network.
The Small Business Charter (SBC) empowers small business success through its network of expert business schools. Developed 10 years ago by Lord Young, the previous Department for Business, and the Chartered Association of Business Schools, the SBC was established to signpost entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local economic stakeholders to business schools in their region with the expertise to help them thrive. There are 67 SBC accredited business school centres of excellence across the UK which are trusted partners of local stakeholders and the national government to deliver effective leadership and productivity programmes and small business support to drive economic growth.