Magnificent seven through to final of 'The Big Pitch'

The Big Pitch logo
7 young entrepreneurs from Anglia Ruskin University have won through to the final of The Big Pitch, giving them the opportunity to secure one of three £10,000 prizes to help make their business dreams a reality.

The shortlisted business ideas include online music video production, a compact water filter, a new phone app for football fans and even a photography service using remote controlled helicopters!

The competition, which is open to all current undergraduate and postgraduate students at Anglia Ruskin, is being run by Senior Lecturer Ben Mumby-Croft from the university's Centre for Enterprise Development and Research (CEDAR) in partnership with Anglia Ruskin's Research, Development and Commercial Services (RDCS).

Ben Mumby-Croft said:

"Our aim has been to find the most imaginative and passionate entrepreneurs studying at Anglia Ruskin and give them the start-up capital, professional advice and office space they need to get their business off the ground. Overall, the standard of competition has been exceptional and is testament to the entrepreneurial talent across the university - from Cambridge to Chelmsford."

The prize includes £30,000 start-up funding (split into three prizes of £10,000); 12 month's free office space at the Anglia Ruskin's business incubator unit; 12 month's free business banking with Barclays; legal advice and support from Eversheds; accountancy services and advice from Peters Elworthy & Moore (PEM); and creative and branding support from One.

Ben Mumby-Croft added:

"I am delighted to report that Vernon Spencer, of Visual Planet, has agreed to sponsor an extra prize for The Big Pitch competition. The amount will be £4,000 and ideally it will support proposals that have a manufacturing rather than service or creative basis, produce some environmental benefit, and have export potential."

Individuals or small teams entered the competition by submitting a one-minute video pitch to the competition website, thebigpitch.co.uk, outlining their business idea and the reasons why it has potential.

Once uploaded, Anglia Ruskin staff and students watched and voted for their favourite videos on the website, and shared links on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The final, which will see the 7 teams pitch their ideas in front of a live audience to a panel including entrepreneurial expert Walter Herriot OBE and Rajeeb Dey FRSA, O2 Young Entrepreneur of the Year, will be held on 24 May at Anglia Ruskin's Cambridge campus from 5.30pm until 8.30pm.

Further information on attending the grand final event can be found in the PDF invitation:

You can see the 7 finalists and their Big Pitch videos below.

UniversityCompare.com
(team leader Owen O'Neill)

UniversityCompare.com works as a university what's on guide and listings service, as well as providing information, such as images, contact details and maps, for prospective students. UniversityCompare.com on The Big Pitch.

Digi-Ping
(team leader Tom Barton)

Digi-Ping is a digital mapping service for institutions such as libraries and museums. Users will be able to key in the reference number of a location they wish to go to and the software will provide a birds-eye view of the floor plan. Digi-Ping on The Big Pitch.

Inside Out Ultimate
(team leader James Coburn)

Ultimate Frisbee is an exciting, fast-paced sport that is huge in the States. Inside Out Ultimate aims to focus on hosting tournaments and manufacturing discs, as well as and introducing coaching into schools. Inside Out Ultimate on The Big Pitch.

CamCopters
(team leader Louis James-Parker)

CamCopters is a one-stop shop for photography and video services. They will capture high definition video and photographs from every imaginable angle using aerial and ground-based cameras. CamCopters on The Big Pitch.

X Sports Connect
(team leader Kanayo Ogwu)

X Sports Connect is an interactive application that connects Premiership football teams to their fans around the world. It will integrate football results, statistics and discussions within a social media environment. X Sports Connect on The Big Pitch.

VidMagic
(team leader Phillip Richardson)

VidMagic provides automatic music video generation for bands to promote themselves on internet streaming services. By producing videos automatically through computer software, the cost can be kept to a minimum. VidMagic on The Big Pitch.

Aquasoftna
(team leader Jackie Cooper)

Aquasoftna is an economical and eco-friendly filter which will soften water without restricting flow. The compact filter will slide into the shower head with no expert fitting required. Aquasoftna on The Big Pitch.

 
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