THE winners of this year’s University of Chester and Santander Universities Enterprise Challenge have been announced at a celebration dinner.

The prestigious event is now in its third year and offered students the opportunity to win a first prize of £1,000 for an innovative business idea that has the potential to be developed into a business opportunity.

Connie Hancock, programme leader for business management and entrepreneurship, who organised the event, said, “This year’s Enterprise Challenge awards’ dinner was the culmination of the competition and provided a climactic close to the entrepreneurial proceedings. It was both an exciting and dramatic affair, with the judges undecided as to whom the winner should be, opting instead for the first time in the competition’s three year history to award two first prizes.

The joint winners were Emily Holton, a second year Photography and Fine Art student from Northamptonshire and Max Mayer, a third year events student from Warrington. Emily’s business focuses on using photography as a way of building body image confidence and Max was looking to launch his Neon Gnome Events Management business.

Connie continued: The business community is always keen to support this annual competition and the University is extremely grateful for the support that Santander had offered for entrepreneurial endeavour throughout the University of Chester.”

The competition was open to all registered students at the university and entrants simply needed to explain what the idea was, why it is needed, who it is for and how it will create value in 800 words or less. As well as the winning prize money, a runner up award was also on offer.

The competition judges this year were from various business sectors who considered the finalist’s pitches in an exciting event that took place throughout the day in the Faculty of Business, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning at the university.

The judges heaped praise on all of the finalists, applauding their ideas, drive and plans for creating new business ventures. Nick Clarke from Aaron and Partners Solicitors, one of the four judges faced with the difficult task of selecting a winner, paid tribute to the talent that he had witnessed during the competition rounds. He said, “The finalists are a credit to the business school, the faculty and the university. From my point of view this has been an inspirational experience.”

The awards evening provided a warm celebration of all things entrepreneurial, with Professor Tim Wheeler, the Vice-Chancellor of the university and Professor Peter Stokes, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Business, Enterprise and Lifelong Learning presenting the prizes to applause from distinguished business leaders and academics.