Published by Georgina Jones
Published Date 12.02.2024 
4 would-be entrepreneurs from universities across the North of England will once again face more than 400 academics, managers, guests, and industry leaders as they pitch their new business idea and wait for the audience to decide the winner.
The University Entrepreneurs Grant (UEG) will return on Thursday 18th April 2024 as part of the prestigious Educate North Awards (www.educatenorth.co.uk) and the winner will walk away with a £1000 prize to write a business plan and the chance to be mentored at the acclaimed Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) based at the Alliance Manchester Business School, The University of Manchester.
It could be the start of an entrepreneurial journey which could see them create new jobs and opportunities in the North of England and UK.
MEC returns as key supporter of a competition which has seen contestants fulfil their dreams and expectations.
‘We are delighted to once again play a key role in helping to nurture the next generation of creators and employers who can help drive the North and UK’s economy forward’ said Professor Lee Pugalis, Deputy Director of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC).
‘Previous winners have gone on to raise hundreds of thousands and in one case, £3.4m for a leading social enterprise and the experience of refining an idea, pitching it precisely and at the same time trying to convince a large audience has been invaluable’.
Professor Pugalis continued; ‘MEC exists to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem that nurtures the next generation of outstanding innovators and supports the development of start-up businesses to achieve economic and societal benefits worldwide’.
‘It is wonderful to bring that focus to a truly Northern event’.
The UEG will be held at the Hilton Hotel on Deansgate in Manchester as the Educate North Awards celebrates its 10th event focussing on the world class achievements of the North’s university sector as well as improvements and advances in the HE sector as a whole and among Further Education and Sixth Forms.
‘2023 saw four female young entrepreneurs take to the stage to pitch for just 3 minutes, three came from one university, Liverpool and the fourth from Newcastle’ said Professor Emeritus Phil Harris who is a leading driver of the Educate North project.
‘The winner has already established a new social enterprise in the city of Liverpool to help sell the work and creations of refugees.’
‘The UEG and Educate North Awards have become important events to demonstrate the ingenuity, innovation and creativity of a sector with a combined spending power of more than £20bn annually’.
The Educate North Awards are sponsored by Communicorp UK owners of Smooth North West, Smooth North East and Heart Yorkshire as well as Voiceworks (creative audio company), Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and were devised by the Broadcaster Rob McLoughlin OBE (www.robmcloughlin.com) who was Executive Producer of the first enterprise competition on British television ‘Flying Start’ created by Granada TV.
Entries for the UEG close on 19/3/24. Educate North entries closed 26/1/24.
