Young entrepreneurs roll up for The Grad Factor 2015

Students can enter the competition for free, simply by uploading their business pitch to YouTube and filling out a short entry form. Judges will then select regional finalists, with the 12 best start-ups appearing in the grand final in London on December 10. Entrants will compete across four categories, including fintech, social enterprise, mobile apps, and women in business.

“Apparently one in four students within higher education now want to start a business or have already done so,” said Keith Chaplin-Mabbutt, entrepreneur and founder of The Grad Factor.

“Knowing the importance that entrepreneurs have for economic growth, innovation and job creation we want to fully harness this fantastic potential and support budding entrepreneurs to provide them with the skills and resources they need to help build their ideas into successful and sustainable businesses.”

The competition is open for video entries from September 28, with the bus tour kicking off at the University of South Wales on October 6. Using sponsor NatWest’s 1966 Routemaster bus, the tour will then take in a number of major cities, including Exeter, Bath, London, Birmingham and Manchester, before finishing in Edinburgh on 30 October.