Some of Scotland’s brightest business prospects can plan for the future after being crowned winners of a University of Dundee competition.
Eight entrepreneurs from across the University community walked away with a share of a record £28,500 prize fund as part of the institution’s annual Venture competition.
Finalists pitched their business plans to a panel of leading business innovators, watched on by a live audience that included potential investors. The showpiece event marked the culmination of the University’s annual Entrepreneurship Week, a series of workshops and lectures championing opportunities for small enterprise in Scotland.
As well as funding to help support their business proposals, all winners receive a place on Elevator’s summer business accelerator programme. The 12-week course at the University’s Centre for Entrepreneurship allows startup founders to fine tune their proposals. Winners also receive a membership for Entrepreneurial Scotland.
The winners of Venture 2020 are:
Student Awards – Shivani Basnet and Priya Sekar
School of Science and Engineering Student Award – Jekaterina Maksimova
School of Art and Design Student Awards – Danielle Stewart and Anna Mitchelmore
Recent Graduate Award – Malcolm Bradley
Staff Awards – Phillip Vaughan and Dr Luigi Manfredi
Brian McNicoll, Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, hailed this year’s finalists, saying, “The University is a dynamic environment, and that was evident from the high standard of entries we received for this year’s competition.
“Once again our judges were massively impressed by the pitches from our finalists and the Venture 2020 experience will undoubtedly help all of them in their future careers.
“I congratulate all of this year’s winners who now have a real opportunity to make a go of their ideas and establish successful enterprises.”
University of Dundee
Nobel Prize winning poet and honorary graduate Seamus Heaney has described the University of Dundee as ‘having its head in the clouds and its feet firmly on the ground.’ The ability to be both aspirational and down-to earth and to blend ground-breaking intellectual achievement with practical applications, has given the University its distinctive character.
