Business ideas that point to a bright future
Entrepreneurial teenagers from South Ayrshire schools battled it out at the finals of the Sir Tom Hunter Challenge this week.
Prestwick Academy, Marr College and Queen Margaret Academy attended the finals in Kilmarnock, where three teams from each Ayrshire council presented their innovative business ideas to Sir Tom and his panel of judges.
Prestwick Academy were delighted when they came joint third with their idea Thermoband, a wristband which uses body heat to create electricity which is then stored and can be used to charge smartphones.
The three students impressed with the depth of their product research and Sir Tom said they were the best prepared when it came to questions from the judging panel. The team also scooped £ 1000 to develop their idea.
Emily Noble, 15, said: “I am incredibly grateful and immensely appreciative to Sir Tom Hunter for giving me this opportunity.”
Make- Me- Up, Shake- Me- Up was the business idea presented by students from Queen Margaret Academy, who developed an app and customised tablet stand to demonstrate make- up techniques. The stand uses the tablet’s camera to turn it into a mirror and the app then shows users how to apply their make- up. The judges were impressed with the number of ways the product could make a profit for the team.
Fey Donoghue, 14, said: “I could not believe how confident I felt when on the stage. I never thought that I could stand in front of an audience like that.”
The team of five from Marr College introduced Solar Net, which uses solar panels to automatically open and close blinds. The solar blinds can also be operated via a timer.
The judges were impressed with the well thought- out concept and loved the potential of the product, which could be used in buildings such as hospitals.
Mark Howard, 15, said: “It was an amazing night and a great experience. The talks at the start were very interesting and inspiring.”
Sir Tom Hunter said: “The Ayrshire schools taking part were a huge inspiration and should be roundly congratulated, as should the teachers and councils supporting them.
“The ideas the teams came up with, the teamwork they put in, the opportunities they identified all contributed to an exceptional outcome.
“These young people can and will succeed either in the world of work or in building their own entrepreneurial workforce. Ayrshire schools are a true inspiration for all of Scotland.”