Organised by Middlesex University, London Borough of Barnet Council and Barnet and Southgate College, the competition offers students and local entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their ideas and win cash prizes.
The competition is in three stages with the intention of identifying and developing the very best ideas.
Stage 01: The Elevator Pitch
Applicants have two minutes to pitch their idea to independent judges. Successful candidates progress through to the next round.
Stage 02: The Plan
Contestants are asked to complete a ‘Business Model Canvas’. These will be assessed by judges and three finalists will be chosen.
Stage 03: The Final
Contestants go head-to-head and pitch in front of a live audience and panel of expert judges.
Entries must fit in to one of the following categories:
Tech Businesses: Entries should have hardware and or/software central to the business value proposition.
Non-Tech Businesses: Entries should have a value proposition that is not primarily based around technology or software.
Social Enterprise/Sustainable Business:
This is defined as a business which has a positive impact on social, community or environmental issues.
Register your place for the first pitching stage on one of the following dates:
Tues 22nd January 2019. From 15:00 to 18:00
Brent Cross Shopping Centre
https://barnetcouncilbigidea.eventbrite.co.uk
Weds 23rd January 2019. From 11:00 to 14:00
Middlesex University, Hendon Campus
https://mdxbigidea.eventbrite.co.uk
Thurs 24th January 2019. From 12:00 to 14:00
Barnet and Southgate College, Wood Street
https://bigideabarnetcollege.eventbrite.co.uk
Please note: these are ticketed events, and you MUST register to compete.
To find out more, email business@mdx.ac.uk or visit www.mdx.ac.uk/bigidea
To enter the competition, contestants* must fall in to one of the following categories:
-An undergraduate, postgraduate or alumni of Middlesex University
-Barnet and Southgate College student
-London Borough of Barnet resident
*If applicants already have an operational business, it must be less than two years old.
"The Barnet Entrepreneurship Competition was my first introduction to the world of business. It was the ideal place for me to start to turn what was just an idea, into something that had structure, clear value propositions and revenue streams. To be honest, this was the first time I actually wrote my ideas down and the process of creating a Business Model Canvas in the second stage really helped me develop my idea.
Winning the competition and reward money had many benefits, helping me get meetings with key stakeholders, allowing me to hire my first intern and helping me make it into the semi-finals of national competitions. However, I feel like most of the value of the competition came from the process itself.
It was the contacts I made, constant feedback and pitching experience that really helped shape the business, its strategy and my methods of effectively communicating it to a diverse audience, so every individual sees its true value." - André Thompson, winner of the Entrepreneurial Barnet Competition 2018
