The Cube had its 2nd annual Dragons Den competition last week and after last year’s virtual pitching contest the Entrepreneurial Dragons’ Den was live on campus with our five Dragons, Rich Adams, Business Engagement Manager at UoP, Stuart Elford, Director of Devon & Plymouth Chambers of Commerce, Allice Hocking, Head of Research Impact and Partnership at UoP, Remy Foucher, Regional Manager, Santander Universities UK, Jessica Holliland, Social Enterprise Consultant and Coach.
This competition is a fantastic opportunity for out our Student and Graduate entrepreneurs to pitch their businesses to our Dragons with the chance to win up to £12k. The prize money is funded by Santander Universities UK, through their Universities programme. Santander is committed to supporting our University of Plymouth entrepreneurs and SMEs through initiatives and awards just like this competition funding.
It was a great afternoon with an amazing seven pitches from Amii Illustrates, Arkscreen, Disability Enabling Network, Ecobadge, LoRa Viridis, Agri Bio and Woogie Big Pants. The pitches were 5 minutes and then 5 minutes Q&A from our Dragons.
The winner of funding of £6k to invest into her business was Amii James Studying an MA in Illustration with her business Amii Illustrates.
Coming in joint second place and winning £3k each was Curtis Maxwell who is studying an MA in International Relations: Global Security and Development with his business Disability Enabling Network and Kellie Wells who is studying an MEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Oscar Dawe and Gus Stattaford-Fowler both studying MEng (Hons) Robotics with their business LoRa Viridis.
A great success for these students who can now develop and grow their businesses further.
The Cube would like to say a big well done to all of our pitchers and their businesses and a huge thank you to Santander Universities UK for the £12k funding prize money.
We look forward to next year’s Dragons Den, for more information on the offer from The Cube www.plymouth.ac.uk/thecube