A group of five businesses-savvy Higher Education students from Loughborough College have been announced as finalists for the upcoming Young Enterprise UK Start Up competition, to be held later this year.
Students Monique Braddock, Patricia Cook, Callum Stedman, Tamia Milton-Joseph, and Rebecca Walker are the learners behind Full Stop Wear, working to end the stigma around periods and menstrual-friendly garments.
Facing off in the East Midlands regional final, Team Full Stop were not only awarded a place in the national finals, but also scooped trophies for Best Overall Company, Best Pitch Deck, Social Media Excellence, and learners Monique and Patricia took the titles of Entrepreneurial Students of the Year.
Team Leader Monique, a Business and Management student at College shared, “This day had been building up since October, so it was extremely exciting and daunting at the same time! We have all been able to learn so much from the project and are really confident in the Start-Up we have created.”
Team Full Stop will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year’s national winners, Loughborough College students Tiaki, who went on to represent the UK in the Young Enterprise European Finals in Istanbul, winning Innovation of the Year 2023.
Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Lead for Higher Education, Iqbal Ullah has acted as a mentor and supporter for Full Stop throughout their journey so far, and reflected on their success, “I’m so proud and humbled by the amazing endeavours of these brilliant young people.
“Whatever the outcome at the YE Start-Up National Final in May, this group have once again made me feel like we’ve contributed to making a difference that will last long beyond their time at Loughborough College.”
Young Enterprise is a leading employability and financial education charity empowering young people across the UK. The Start-Up programme works with students nationwide to set up and run a real business or social enterprise over an academic year. Last year’s national finals were judged in part by Anne, Princess Royal.