Young business brains battle for Yorkshire entrepreneur title

Nov. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Graduate and student entrepreneurs from ten Yorkshire universities pitched their ideas to an independent panel of regional business experts in a bid to bag the first prize of £1500.

The awards were hosted by York St John University on Friday 18th November and coincided with Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The awards were organised and supported by the award winning, ERDF funded Graduate Entrepreneurship Project, a Huddersfield University lead partnership of Yorkshire’s higher education institutions which supports entrepreneurs from Yorkshire’s graduate and student population into business.

Business ideas competing for first prize included a Hull based film production company, a designer from York and a supplier of forensic equipment based in Sheffield.

Ten finalists from universities in Hull, Leeds, Sheffield, York, Bradford and Huddersfield submitted business plans and cash flow projections and presented a “Dragon’s Den” style pitch, before facing a gruelling question and answer session.

The winners were:

1st prize (£1500), Lucy Nuttall, Sheffield Hallam University (Frontline Forensics)
2nd prize (£350), Alex Beardsley, Bradford University (Talk Direct Marketing)
3rd prize (£150), Chris Ramsden, Huddersfield University (The TV King)

Jubilant winner Lucy said,

“To be announced as the winner of the Yorkshire Graduate Entrepreneurship awards is a wonderful achievement. Frontline Forensics’ products offer police forces across the country massive savings in time and money and I think this particularly impressed the judges.”

Graduate Entrepreneurship Project Manager, Louise Bermingham said,

“The Graduate Entrepreneurship Project provides students and graduates with a platform to explore and develop their businesses ideas. Although the concepts presented by the finalists were all different, each demonstrated a level of business acumen which was a credit to the individuals and testimony to the support each university provides for its young entrepreneurs”.

Head judge and Chief Executive Officer of Graduates Yorkshire Martin Edmondson said,

“The standard of business ideas was very impressive this year. All the judges agreed that Frontline Forensics is an exceptional business idea with bags of potential. Lucy has the drive and skills to really grow her business.”

The Graduate Entrepreneurship Project was recently announced as the winner of the Enterprise Champions Award for 20111 at the National Enterprise Educators Awards.

For more information about the project, visit www.graduateentrepreneurship.co.uk