Neopets was conceived in 1997 by Adam Powell, a British student at the University of Nottingham at the time. He shared this idea with Donna Williams and the two started work on the site in September 1999, with Powell responsible for the programming and the database and Williams the web design and art. The site launched on November 15, 1999 from offices in Portsmouth Road, Guildford, a location still commemorated on the site.[14][15] Powell stated that the original goal was to "keep university students entertained, and possibly make some cash from banner advertising".[16] The site contained popular culture references, such as a Neopet that was simply a picture of Bruce Forsyth