University hands out £38k to help support its future entrepreneurs

Dundee University has distributed a £38,000 prize fund to the best business pitches by staff and students.

The aspiring entrepreneurs were awarded at the annual Venture competition, which hopes to crown future business stars.

Finalists pitched their business plans to a panel of leading business innovators, watched by a live audience that included potential investors.

The showpiece event marked the culmination of the university’s annual Entrepreneurship Week.

A series of workshops and lectures championing opportunities for small enterprise in Scotland were held during the week.

As well as funding to help support their business proposals, all winners receive a place on Elevator’s summer business accelerator programme. The 12-week course allows start-up founders to fine-tune their proposals. Winners also receive a membership for Entrepreneurial Scotland.

Brian McNicoll, head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, said: “Once again, our Venture final has highlighted the extraordinary thriving entrepreneurial culture within the university and the dynamism of our students and staff.

“Our judges were incredibly impressed by the creativity and dynamism demonstrated by all of our finalists and choosing our winners was an incredibly tough process.

“Our finalists can feel incredibly proud of what they have achieved.”

Venture winners: Student Award – Lauryn Pringle; School of Art and Design Student Award – Glen Craig; School of Life Sciences Award – Hanneke MacLaren; School of Medicine Award – Firas Bakri; Postgraduate Researcher Award – Jordana Freemantle; Science and Engineering Student Award – Antonio Rodriguez; Recent Graduate – Jennifer RaoWilliams and Lewis Kennedy; Staff Award – Dr John Foerster and Dr Helge Dorfmueller.

Brian McNicoll.