16-25 year olds in the West Kent area have until the 31st of March to submit their application to the process in which the winner receives £50,000 in products and services to launch their business.
Young Start-up Talent aims to help young people with an entrepreneurial flair for business and make their dreams a reality. The initiative works across seven regions in the South, and has already given rise to 52 successful start-ups over the past six years.
The application should include a brief business plan and it can be made individually or in groups of up to five people. The process will provide the budding entrepreneurs with mentoring and workshops to help them develop their skills and business knowhow to the next level.
Participants have the chance to work alongside business professionals including Ben Towers, the multi-award winning young entrepreneur who started his first business at the age of 11. By the final Dragons’ Den stage, candidates will have gained valuable experience, and a chance to build their portfolio and professional networks to accelerate their careers.
“The process made me believe in myself. As a young entrepreneur you always doubt yourself, but after winning the competition it drowned out those negative thoughts”, Dean Day concludes. The 2015 West Kent winner is the founder and CEO of Greenlight Game, an independent games studio based in Greenwich. After winning YST, Deans business has really taken off and is backed up by Greenwich University among other sponsors.
Young Start-up Talent’s managing director Lorraine Nugent praises the immense potential young people have and assures the process is open for everyone. “We are looking for potential and enthusiasm, not fully developed business plans. Participants learn about entrepreneurship and develop at a personal level during our process, which is why we often discover incredible hidden talent.”
To find out more, visit www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk