Member Article

Biz Idol competition ? 2 weeks left

With just 15 days left to enter, entries are flooding in to Biz Idol - the business idea competition for Tyne and Wear. Now in its second year, Biz Idol aims to inspire people to develop their entrepreneurial ideas and turn them into viable businesses. The winner and two runner-up entrants will win prize packages made up of cash and in-kind business support, and all short-listed entrants will receive advice from established business experts on how to develop their business ideas. Prizes confirmed so far include: 12 months free office accommodation, supplied by Argent Business and Conference Centre; 3-month lease of company car, supplied by Smart Cars; accountancy package from Richardson Hall Kennedy, marketing consultancy provided by The bgroup, PR consultancy from O Communications, legal advice from Ward Hadaway; a Torq PDA donated by Moblix, office stationery supplied by Statex Printers, 12-month membership packages to Codeworks, NECC and The Bridge Club; and a significant cash lump sum. Self-employed people can enter the competition, but the business idea must be radically different from any current business owned or operated by the entrant. Biz Idol is for people aged 18+, but there is also another competition for young people aged 11-17. Biz Idol U18 follows the same format as the adult competition, but has different prizes on offer. Judging Biz Idol and Biz Idol U18 will be a panel made up of leading business figures from the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to encourage and improve entrepreneurship and business in the North East. Carole Beverley from the Entrepreneurs’ Forum commented: “This is a fantastic initiative to unearth great ideas and engage with the entrepreneurs of the future in the North East. It’s also an opportunity for some of our very altruistic members to meet with aspiring entrepreneurs and judge the merits of their ideas, and also to pass on invaluable business advice.” The Biz Idol competition forms part of Business Week Tyne & Wear, a week-long series of events to promote and celebrate business success in Tyne & Wear. The closing date for entries is 5pm Friday 19th May. Enter online at www.business-week.org/bizidol.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .