| 2011 |
WhyteWinter
Junii Whyte & William Winter |
Blackbyrds
Lizzie Harkness & James Owen |
Better Bites
Michael Pearson, Mark Suffield, David Sutcliffe & Marcus Weller |
| 2010 |
Active Krag Maga
Joanna & Anna Surowiec |
Pinnell Productions
Ian Pinnell
|
eAcademic
Emma Gain |
| 2009 |
Smart Notebooks
Riz Galiyara |
Change My Address
Simon de la Rue
joint
Cards 4 Keeps
Eleanor Dobson |
Intellimedia
Gregory Bowers, Gary Crook, Sean Geddes & Ben Parkyn |
| 2008 |
The Vanilla Pod Bakery
Pia Cato |
University Challenged
Louise Holme |
|
2011 BUG Winners
Junii Whyte and William Winter (WhyteWinter)
Talented young entrepreneurs were given an opportunity to shine at the final of the University of Gloucestershire’s annual BUG (Business planning at the University of Gloucestershire) Competition (Thursday 9 June 2011).
Following a competitive pitch process, seven groups of finalists, vying for one of two top awards, were invited to join guests from the University and local businesses at the event at the University of Gloucestershire Enterprise Awards, Park Campus in Cheltenham.
Junii Whyte, President of the University’s Entrepreneurial Society, and William Winter, who is used to being at the top of his game as the Club Captain of the University Basketball Team, scooped the first prize of £1000 in the ‘Open Award’ category. The award was open to all University of Gloucestershire's students, staff and recent alumni who are in the process of starting their own businesses.
Both final year Business Management students, they are the minds behind a new high-fashion, high-quality, male and female clothing range currently retailed through the organisation's own brands via the website www.whytewinter.com
The runner-up in this category and winner of £650 were named as Elizabeth Harkness and James Owen, of Blackbyrds, producers of high quality hand-made pies with a strong emphasis on locally sourced ingredients.
The competition also awarded £800 to Mark Suffield, Michael Pearson, Marcus Weller and David Sutcliffe in the ‘Taught Award’ category which is open to students who have studied business planning as part of their degree course, creating a theoretical business idea.
The four Business Management students impressed the judges for their ‘Better Bites’ plan to offer a new innovative and healthy meal delivery service within the Cheltenham area to support and enhance customers fitness goals.
The annual BUG Competition aims to promote enterprise and innovation amongst University staff, students and former students and encourage entrepreneurial thinking.
Over 150 students have taken part in this year’s scheme which includes business planning lectures, a series of interactive workshop and entrepreneur mentoring sessions.
Participants were asked to produce a 20 page business plan for a new business idea. The management teams of the best plans were then selected to deliver a 10 minute presentation on their business idea to the competition judges.
Dr Kevin Richardson, Dean of the University of Glouecstershire's Business School added:
“The BUG competition offers a unique opportunity for students to put their entrepreneurial skills and business ideas into practise and take part in a live pitch. There are some fantastic concepts among this year’s finalists and I am delight that the University along with BUG supporters can help inspire more young businessmen and women to follow their goals especially in these challenging economic times.”
The competition was judged by Paul Engelbrecht (Rickerbys Solicitors), Oliver Newbold (Randall & Payne Accountants), Neil Griffiths (NatWest), John Down (CMI – Chartered Management Institute), Matt King (CIM – Chartered Institute of Marketing) and Clive Kerridge (University of Gloucestershire Business School).
Preparations are underway for the 2011/12 programme. Anyone who has graduated from the University of Gloucestershire since 2007 is eligible to take part, along with current University staff and students. More information is available by contacting the Centre for Enterprise & Innovation on 01242 714104 or emailing bugcompetition@glos.ac.uk
2010 BUG Winners
Joanna and Anna Surowiec (Active Krav Maga)
Entrepreneurs from the University of Gloucestershire gathered at Gloucester Docks to discover which one of them had won this year’s BUG Business Planning Competition run by the Centre for Enterprise & Innovation.
The evening saw many individuals from the University and local businesses turn up to celebrate the successes of these entrepreneurs and to hear each finalist pitch their business idea.Vice Chancellor Dr Paul Hartley and Dean of the Business School Dr Kevin Richardson were also among the attendance keen to see who had won.
An inspirational yet down to earth speech was given by guest speaker Darcey Crownshaw, Managing Director of Snow Business International Ltd who provides snow effects for big Hollywood films as well as for television programmes and retail store shop windows.
Level 2 Sports and Exercise Science student Joanna Surowiec and twin sister Anna took home the top prize of £1200 in the ‘Open Award’ category this year for their martial arts instruction business ‘Active Krav Maga. The Open Award is open to all University students, staff and recent graduates regardless of what they have previously studied.
Anna states:
"Active Krav Maga is a provider of the most effective, simple and instinctive self-defence system in the world.It is dedicated to inspire people to become more active by promoting a healthy lifestyle. Its aim is to stimulate, invigorate and motivate students to improve their fitness level while gaining confidence and self-defence skills in an enjoyable way."
Open Award finalist Ian Pinnell was awarded a free 3 day business workshop from Business Link for his business ‘Pinnell Productions,’ which specialises in voiceovers and imaging production for radio.Ian is a 2nd year Radio production student.
The BUG Competition also awarded £1200 in the ‘Taught Award’ Category, which is open to final year students who have studied a business planning course at the University.The Taught Award and its £1200 prize were awarded to Emma Gain, for her business ‘eAcademic’ a provider of academic e-books.
Final year students Sarah Watkins and Nic Winter with their idea ‘Peace of Heaven’ along with fellow final year student Claire Bassett and her business idea ‘Executive Introductions’ all presented strong business plans and were unlucky to miss out on the top prize.Claire’s ‘Executive Introductions’ a match making, introduction events service was awarded a year’s membership to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).Sarah and Nic’s ‘Peace of Heaven’ would be a producer of flat packed coffins, a sustainable alternative to current options.The idea won the pair a £100 prize for the most ‘Innovative Concept.’
All judges were really impressed with the calibre of the finalists and felt that all finalists would have a great future ahead of them.
The BUG Competition forms part of the BUG Programme of workshops, mentoring and support facilitated by the University of Gloucestershire to help enable its students, staff and recent graduates to learn the skills and knowledge needed in order for them to be able to create a successful businesses, either now or in the future and therefore hopefully driving the future of our economy.
The Programme is supported by funding from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) and SWRDA (South West Regional Development Agency) with additional support being appreciatively received from local supporting organisations, Randall & Payne Accountants; Rickerbys Solicitors; Chelsea Building Society; NatWest; Business Link; Chartered Management Institute; Basepoint Business Centres; and 2009 BUG Competition Winner, Smart Notebooks.
Dr Kevin Richardson, Dean of the Business School said:
‘The BUG competition is a fantastic vehicle for students to develop & test their entrepreneurial skills & business ideas & it was a pleasure to join the team in celebrating their success. More than ever our economy needs budding entrepreneurs & I am delighted that at the University of Gloucestershire along with the BUG sponsors that we are playing our part in helping the businessmen & women of the future’
This year’s BUG Programme was its biggest and best yet, with over 150 students from all faculties taking part in the various workshops, seminars and mentoring that it provided.
To enter the competition stages of this year’s programme entrants were required to come up with an idea for a new business and create a 20 page business plan for it. Finalists were then required to present their idea to a panel of local business experts, who then set about agreeing the winners.
Preparations will now start for next year’s programme and plans mean it should continue to grow and be even more successful. If you would like to find out more about BUG or would like to get involved then please contact the University’s Centre for Enterprise & Innovation on 01242 714104 or email bugcompetition@glos.ac.uk.
2009 BUG Winner
Riz Galiyara (Smart Notebooks)
Take a Smart Note! University Business Plan Competition Announces its Winners!
This year’s University of Gloucestershire’s BUG Competition came to its end at this year’s Growing Gloucestershire conference where the winners were announced and awards presented. From over 170 people who originally contacted BUG with their business ideas, 10 finalists were chosen in 2 categories; the ‘Taught Award,’ open to all final year students studying business planning and the ‘Open Award,’ which was open to all of the University’s students, staff and alumni who had graduated within 5 years.
The competition finalists attended the conference and waited excitedly for the awards to be announced. All entries were of a extremely high standard and the judges had a very difficult job selecting their winners.Riz Galiyara deservingly scooped up the top prize of £2000 with his business idea ‘Smart Notebooks,’ a business supplying co-branded multi-subject notebooks. Riz, a member of the University’s ICT staff was delighted to win and said “I am happy and excited today because it’s a dream come true.” Riz intends to launch his business soon so keep an eye out for the Smart Notebook brand!
Simon de la Rue and Eleanor Dobson jointly took the Runners-Up spot as the judges found it impossible to split them. Simon with ‘Change My Address’ an online change of address service and Eleanor with ‘Cards 4 Keeps’ a personalised greetings card company both won £500. Simon is a post graduate student at Oxstalls and Eleanor a recent graduate from Pittville.
Intellimedia won the top prize of £1500 in the ‘Taught Award’ category with their product juke-i, an internet based jukebox that allows users to download content to a media device. Intellimedia consisted of final year Business Management students Gary Crook, Sean Geddes, Ben Parkyn and Gregory Bowers.
There was a Runner-Up award in the ‘Taught Award’ as well and this £500 prize went to ‘Essential Vend’ a umbrella vending service. Essential Vend consisted of final year Business Management students Lucy Offord, Thomas Blake, Pia Cato and Claire Forde.
2008 BUG Winner
Pia Cato (The Vanilla Pod Bakery entered as The Cupcake Shop)
The University of Gloucestershire’s new BUG (Business planning at the University of Gloucestershire) Competition culminated in a high profile award ceremony at this year’s Growing Gloucestershire conference held at the University’s Park campus in late June. All six of the competition finalists attended the conference and waited eagerly for the awards to be announced. All entries were of a very high standard. Three entries particularly however impressed the panel of business judges and at the conference stepped up to receive their awards. The three awards presented included, a ‘Special Merit’ award, a ‘Runner Up’ and an overall winner.
Winner
The ‘Winner’ of the BUG Competition 2008 and the £3000 prize plus a year’s membership to the CMI was Pia Cato with “The Cupcake Shop” a cupcake boutique.
“The Cupcake Shop will be the only cupcake boutique in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The main product offering will be a variety of sweet and savoury cupcakes. There will also be a small selection of ‘free-from’ cupcakes, layer cakes and light lunches.The shop will enable customers to relax in a sumptuous and welcoming environment.” Pia Cato.
Pia is now entering her final year as a student of Marketing Management with Media Communications at the University of Gloucestershire.
The ‘Runner Up’ of the BUG Competition 2008 and the £1500 prize was Louise Holme with “University Challenged” an Informative University lifestyle publication.
“University Challenged” offers a combination of print and online products that provide a one stop source of information regarding all aspects of University life and culture. Targeted towards parents, university students and applicants, University Challenged is the only such product of its type.
Louise (a member of the alumni), who founded “University Challenged” is a 2007 graduate of Journalism and International Marketing Management.
Special Merit Award Winner
The winner of the ‘Special Merit Award’ and £500 was Joanna Wildman and Sue Dodds with “Unicycle” a
recycling auction website. Jo and Sue together form Unicycle: an interactive recycling site for staff
and students at the University, whilst also supplying some money to the environmental aspects within
the University. Jo has just completed her first year studying Geography at the University of
Gloucestershire. Sue her mother, owns a small printing company in Gloucester.