Students from Frome College have been shortlisted for The University of South Wales (USW) ‘Making Business Happen’ awards.
Jake Howell, along with his team mates, Charlie Sloan and Ben Manning, are competing against nine other finalists, from across the UK, to win the Aspiring Entrepreneur Award, which is sponsored by NatWest.
Now in its second year, the Making Business Happen awards gives student entrepreneurs, future business owners and social entrepreneurs the opportunity to operate in a real-world setting and prove their abilities.
Last year, the college’s Plant Notes team were runners-up.
The winners will be announced on March 22nd, where they will receive a share of £3,000 with their school or college, along with business mentoring and support from the USW Business School.
The runners-up will receive a share of £1,500 along with support from the USW Business School, and third place will receive a share of £500 as well as a package of support.
Jake and Ben, 16, along with Charlie, 17, have created the business ‘Home Guardian’; a doorbell sized video intercom system which can link to an app via smartphone, tablet or PC. The product enables consumers to see who is ringing their doorbell and talk to them, whether they’re at home or elsewhere.
They say, “The size, affordability and range of uses make it perfect for deployment in housing associations, for generic domestic use, or for use in a business-based environment.
“However, from our research results we found the elderly would also benefit from our product. There are 3.5 million aged 65+ that live alone in the UK, of which the majority are women (figures from Age UK). Age UK also reported that 90% of over-65s felt unsafe or threatened in the last two weeks; Home Guardian would help ease them by making them feel safer in their own homes. However, the Home Guardian has the necessary applications for almost anybody.”
Professor Jonathan Deacon, a reader in marketing and enterprise in USW’s Faculty of Business and Society said, ”The finalists in the competition have come up with some fascinating business ideas – from make-up through to technology, support for disabled people to online shopping, and food sales to plumbing.
“What it shows is that young people not only have the imagination to come up with some amazing ideas, but also the expertise needed to carry these ideas through to fruition, and to take them to market.
“As a university that focuses on entrepreneurship, engagement and employment – which this competition brings together – we are delighted the competition has received such strong entries, and that future entrepreneurs are showing what they can do.”
Cheryl Gourlay, regional enterprise manager for NatWest added, “The inaugural Making Business Happen Awards last year were a huge success and NatWest is delighted to be sponsoring the awards once again.
“Recent research released by NatWest suggests that nearly half of Britons who are not already, say they would prefer to be self-employed, and a record 27% say that now is a good time to start your own business. But the number of people actually taking that leap has fallen.
“There is a persistent gender gap in attitudes and action towards starting a business. Men are more likely than women to judge that now is a good time to start a business, to want to start-up and to be doing so.
“Young people have been consistently more positive about entrepreneurship than older people. Those aged 18-30 are markedly more likely to be starting their own business and to say that now is a good time to do so. They are also more likely to have positive attitudes about future entrepreneurial activity.
“Initiatives such as the Making Business Happen Awards are a vital part of the entrepreneurial landscape, celebrating those who are already on the road to success and encouraging those who are taking their first steps on the journey. We look forward to hearing lots of inspirational stories from this year’s awards entrants.”
For more information about the awards, visit: www.uswbusinessawards.co.uk/aspiring-entrepreneurs-award
