15.01.07
What's Your Big Idea? £42,000 prize package up for grabs

Just imagine…running your own business, working the hours that suit you, deciding your own agenda and reaping the true financial benefits of your hard work. Sound good?

It doesn't have to remain a dream – Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) and its partner, the University of Plymouth, is welcoming entries right now for its Business Ideas Challenge 2007, from individuals or teams of up to four people. Entry is open to a wide sector of the local community who have the glimmer of a business idea - all University of Plymouth staff, students and alumni, partner college students, CUC partner staff and students (including those at University College Falmouth, The University of Exeter in Cornwall, Cornwall College, Truro College, Penwith College, The Open University, The College of St Mark and St John and the Peninsula Medical School) and Tamar Science Park tenants.

Simply visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/bpchallenge, complete and submit the short entry form and guarantee your chance of winning a share of the £42,000 prize package of cash and professional services. Deadline for entries is 2nd February 2007.

The inaugural Business Ideas Challenge was a tremendous success and helped to turn a number of business ideas into reality. The overall 2006 Challenge winner, post graduate student Christianne Pollock with her "Aut2besafe" concept for a range of safety products for autistic children, says: "There couldn't have been an easier or more supportive route to determining the feasibility of my business idea and moving me closer to making it a reality. Not only was it an enjoyable experience but I have learnt so much and made many valuable business contacts along the way."

Rachael Carrington, formerly a student at University College Falmouth, won the main prize for Cornwall, to commercialise her revolutionary Spatial Systems (a modular flooring system for showrooms and exhibition spaces).

Former University of Plymouth student Steve Burton was runner-up in the 2006 Challenge and has subsequently established his business Logoworks at Sticker, near St Austell providing low cost logo, stationery and website solutions for new businesses.

This could be you - make sure you don't miss out on what could be a life-changing opportunity.

Dr Susan Boulton, IP and Entrepreneurship Manager for the University of Plymouth explains: "Our Business Ideas Challenge aims to help turn your business ideas into reality, bringing you the support of top professional advisers and providing high profile exposure. If that's not enough to tempt you, thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we have an even bigger prize package this year worth over £40,000 up for grabs. There will also be special prizes for environmental and social concepts."

Interim prizes will be awarded at the "Meet the sponsors" Awards Evening on Wednesday 21st February at the University of Plymouth and the short listed finalists will be invited to go on to prepare detailed business plans supported by free advice including professional mentoring and entrepreneurship workshops. The overall winners will be acknowledged at the final Business Ideas Challenge Awards Evening on Thursday 24th May and will be invited to present their ideas during National Enterprise Week in November when the 2008 Challenge will also be launched.

The university's Business Ideas Challenge has received widespread support from the local business community. "This is an excellent initiative and one which my company is delighted to sponsor," says Noel Akers, one of Europe's leading practitioners of intellectual property (IP) law and owner of Newquay-based N J Akers & Co Ltd. "I'm very aware of the huge amount of creativity and innovation in Cornwall because, since re-locating the company from Hertfordshire to Cornwall only two years ago, our caseload has grown considerably. We help clients with patent, trademark and design issues so we have first hand experience of the wealth of local entrepreneurial talent.

"The Business Ideas Challenge is a great opportunity to spotlight that talent and, because the prizes are very generous, to provide the finalists and eventual winners with much-needed cash and professional help. I'm really pleased to be involved."

As a sponsor, Noel will be giving a masterclass to all Challenge finalists – as well as individual practical consultancy and mentoring to the overall winner.

For more information or to enter, go to www.plymouth.ac.uk/bpchallenge.

For further information contact Emma Stallard, PR and Communications Officer on 01326 370446 or email Emma.Stallard@cuc.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). University College Falmouth, Cornwall College and University of Plymouth are all partners of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

The Business Ideas Challenge is sponsored by Combined Universities in Cornwall, Plymouth City Council, HSBC Bank Plc, Tamar Science Park, Bond Pearce, Francis Clark, Business Link Devon & Cornwall, Ashfords, NJ Akers, Cowlin Construction, HBG Construction Ltd, Absolute Design, Air South West, Business Link Devon & Cornwall, DestiNet NewZapp, LogoWork, TwoFour TV, UnLtd, Finance South West, University of Plymouth Colleges and Knowledge Exploitation South West. (For more information on other entrepreneurship activity at the University of Plymouth visit www.plymouth.ac.uk/entrepreneur.)

The Combined Universities in Cornwall is a dynamic and visionary partnership that is one of the driving forces behind Cornwall's economic renaissance. This partnership combines the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, University College Falmouth, The Open University, The College of St Mark & St John, and the Peninsula Medical School, with Cornwall's Further Education colleges - Cornwall College, Truro College and Penwith College. It aims not only to provide the students of the future with more choice and greater opportunities, but also to boost the economic fortunes of the region for the benefit of one and all.

The CUC initiative has been invested in by the Objective One Partnership for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the South West Regional Development Agency, Cornwall County Council and the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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