Degree Students Showcase Entrepreneurial Talent at Young Enterprise Competition

Degree students showcased their entrepreneurial skills at this year’s Young Enterprise competition, the culmination of a year-long enterprise module for those in their third-year of Business and Sport Management at Loughborough College.

A total of 27 students, forming nine teams, developed innovative business concepts inspired by real-life problems and challenges, and supported by external business mentors, transformed their initial ideas into viable commercial enterprise plans.

The competition highlighted a diverse range of entrepreneurial thinking, with some teams producing working prototypes while others developed detailed conceptual business models complete with marketing strategies, branding, and professional trade displays.

The event was judged by five external business professionals, including alumnus Theo Brown, who graduated from the College in 2017. Now a social housing mentor and business coach, Theo returned to Loughborough to offer his advice and support for the teams.

Teams were also supported throughout the project by mentor and College alumna, Kimberley Allen, Director and Company Secretary at Broadleaf Tree Care.

Throughout the day, teams were interviewed and questioned by judges to test their understanding of their business proposals market entry, competition, and marketing strategy. Each team then delivered a four-minute pitch presentation to the full audience.

At the end of the competition, ten awards were presented, with two teams selected to progress to the Young Enterprise UK start-up final, which was held at Manchester Metropolitan University earlier this month.

The two finalist teams, Seed Sprint and PerkPress impressed the judges with their confidence, determination, and professionalism. 

HE Management Subject Area Lead at Loughborough College, Iqbal Ullah praised the student teams, sharing: “The Young Enterprise competition gives our students an incredible opportunity to apply their learning in a real-world environment. The level of creativity, professionalism and resilience demonstrated by all nine teams was outstanding. 

“I am incredibly proud of each and every one of our students, they represented themselves, their ideas, and teams admirably, and they have built meaningful connections, opened new doors, and broadened their perspectives for the future.”