What is Dragons’ Den?

Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs’ Dragons’ Den is an idea pitching competition based on the hit BBC TV series of the same name. Students will pitch their ideas – for businesses, social enterprises, charities or individual projects – to a panel of ‘Dragons’ which includes:

• Jess Ratcliffe, a RHUL student who featured on the real Dragons’ Den
• Robin Bennett, author of Start-up Smart, who will be offering attendees the opportunity of up to an additional £5,000 business funding
• Rhiannon Horsley from UnLtd, the top UK social enterprise organisation.

The ‘Dragons’ play the role of potential investors in you and your idea. The competition takes place on Thursday 7^th October 2010 at 7pm in the Students’ Union.

How do I enter?

The competition is now closed, but you can still attend the event for fun!

What happens next?

All entrants will be given the opportunity to attend a pitching workshop on Wednesday 6^th October at 1pm in MX34. At this workshop you will learn how to pitch professionally and be given the opportunity to practise and hone your pitch. The final selection of students who will be put through to face the Dragons will be announced at the end of this workshop and emailed to any students who were unable to attend.

How do I win?

Winning ideas are likely to be those which are innovative, solve a genuine problem or meet a real need, and are likely to be achievable. Although you will not be marked on the quality of your pitch, a good pitch will help you put your idea across.

What is the format of the pitching competition?

You will pitch for just 2 minutes and will have 3 minutes to answer questions.

Who can enter?

Current students at Royal Holloway, University of London.

£10,000 Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2010

If you’re aged 16-30 and have been running your own business for more than 3 months but less than 18 months, this annual competition could see you walk away with a £10,000 cash injection plus support from top PR agency Blue Rubicon at our Shell LiveWIRE LIVE! award final taking place in London on 13th October 2010.

So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to be our Shell LiveWIRE Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010, simply login at the bottom of this page to apply.

Deadline for entries is 5pm on 6th September 2010.

£1,000 Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards

If you’re aged 16-30 and need funding to get your new business idea or project off the ground, the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards offers up to to 5 x £1,000 prizes each month to the most innovative or unusual ideas submitted by new businesses in their first 12 months of trading. (See our section about previous Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Award winners).

You’ve got until the last day of each month to apply for the £1,000 Awards – simply login below to access the application form.

Website: http://www.shell-livewire.org/awards

Do you want to travel the world for a year, all expenses paid? Well, this is their chance to win an incredible competition and the most amazing once in a lifetime experience.

‘Your Big Year’ is an official ‘Global Entrepreneurship Week’ event. It provides an opportunity for two competition winners to travel the world for one-year meeting inspirational people, entrepreneurs and leaders whilst on an incredible journey. The competition brings together the three themes of enterprise, social responsibility and creating a global perspective, and intends to fundraise for key chosen charities including Rights and Humanity.

Submit your entry at:

http://www.yourbigyear.com/

vcashpoint is giving away £2,500 to 16-25 year olds in England with ideas for London 2012 inspired projects in their communities. If you’ve got an idea for a London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games inspired volunteering project to improve your community, you could apply for up to £2,500 to make it happen. 

To get your brains-whirring Olympic and Paralympic Games themes include: Sport, Health Culture, Education and Environment To apply for a vcashpoint grant, you must be aged 16-25, live in England, and be up for running the project yourself. 

You’ll need to show how your project will help other people (not relatives), the environment or your community and how it has been inspired by London 2012. 

 Closing date: 6^th September 2010 

http://vinspired.com/vcashpoint

I would like to congratulate all the teams for their hard work and commitment to the competition.

So, now the thing you all have been waiting for…. the results!

Dynasti with a total of £447.45
Dynasti decided to create different fun daily projects from wet sponge throwing to football and fashions quiz’s.

Universal
Universal sold a variety of products on campus catering to all students needs.

Matt-MC-ABE
This team sold second hand clothes on campus.

ENIGMA
Ran an entertainment event on campus.

VERITAS
Veritas sold small bags of sweets around campus and provided honesty boxes inviting students to pay what they wanted for the sweet packets. This team wanted to test the honesty of Royal Holloway Students.

The Chocolate Makers
The Chocolate Makers ran a chocolate fountain in the Bedford Library.

Congratulations again to Dynasti, and to all the other teams too, you all at least DOUBLED! your investment in just a week! That’s some real entrepreneurial spirit!

I would also like to thank Francesca and Jess for mentoring and organizing most of the event.

We hope to see all of the teams, and everyone else who has been following our events, for our big end of the year event / ceremony next Thursday (25th of March) with Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs’ Founding Patron Professor Alec Reed CBE.

One group was even featured on the Royal Holloway Website.

How well? Well, judge for yourself:

So, bring your wallet when walking to Campus tomorrow, and keep a look out for the different teams selling goods.