Final year undergraduate students on the New Venture Creation and Business Planning module have participated in a Dragons' Den style presentation with local business representatives and academics.

13 groups of final year students, all taking the third year New Venture Creation and Business Planning module, participated in the event as part of their coursework assessment. Each group gave a presentation about their start-up ideas before a panel of evaluators.

The judging panel included local business representatives and Student-business mentors, Lydia Wakefield (IPSE), Anya Ledwith (ESHCon) and Simon Chuter (Sussex Innovation Centre). They were joined by Course Director Dr Monica Masucci and fellow School of Business, Management and Economics (BMEc) academics Dr Maya Cara and Dr Shova Thapa Karki.

Before a networking afternoon among participating students and judges, Head of the Department of Business and Management Susan Newell announced the two runner ups and awarded the winning group with Amazon gift vouchers and a commemorative trophy each.

Congratulations to the winning group who presented their start-up company GiGi’s, specialists in ‘Gluten Free, Guilt Free’ food. The participating students were:

• Alexandra Johnstone-Mackie
• Jasmine Slade
• Anna Clarke
• Monica Lewis
• Alice Rowley

Monica Masucci commended the students on their hard work:

‘All students took the opportunity of pitching their new venture ideas before a team of experienced professionals very seriously. They showed real commitment and entrepreneurial drive.’