Lancashire’s would-be entrepreneurs in 100 day university challenge

Around 80 students from six schools battled it out in the final stage of Lancaster University Management School’s 100-Day Entrepreneurship Challenge.

Among the teams were students from Blackpool Sixth Form college, Nelson and Colne College and Lancaster Royal Grammar School who had to generate their own business ideas linked the UN Sustainable Development Goals – all in just 100 days.

After creating business plans for ideas ranging from a sustainable shoe with a changeable sole to an air conditioning unit which doesn’t need electricity, the teams travelled to LUMS to set up a ‘marketplace’ in the middle of the Management School to display their business ideas and be questioned on them by fellow students and LUMS staff.

Teams then delivered a short presentation in a lecture theatre to fellow pupils, academics from LUMS’ Entrepreneurship and Strategy department and members of LUMS’ Entrepreneurs in Residence.

Judges from LUMS’ Entrepreneurs in Residence network selected a team from Urmston Grammar as the winner of the EiR award, after seeing their proposal for an app, Au Cour, to help users find independent businesses for days out.

After impressing with their idea for a hotel which employs homeless people, helping them to get back on their feet, academics from the Department of Entrepreneurship and Strategy announced Blackpool Sixth Form college winners of the departmental award.

LUMS' Vicky Knill said: “We were really impressed with the standard of entries in this year’s contest. There were some really creative, exciting ideas, and we could tell that the teams had put in a lot of work into their business plans.

“As well as recognising the contestants’ hard work, we’d also like to thank the schools for taking part and the teachers for taking the time to help guide the teams through the challenge.”