A Camberley upskilling expert has sponsored a Dragon’s Den style pitching
competition for the region’s budding entrepreneurs hoping to kickstart their business
and win a £4,000 cash boost.
Jeev Sahoo from Step8Up joined the likes of British Airways and
BP to act as judges or ‘Dragons’ for this year’s Business Plan Competition for young
people and business leaders who want to get their ideas off the ground.
Set up by Spelthorne Business Forum (SBF), the competition saw six finalists show
off their business ideas to a panel of judges after weeks of mentoring.
The lucky winner will also receive support and guidance from the forum after their
victory to help them see success.
One previous finalist and judge at this year’s competition, Holly Hobbs, was just 18
when she first entered the competition and has since co-founded urfuture – the UK’s
fastest growing Gen-Z job platform servicing big names such as Amazon and British
Gas.
CEO of Step8Up Jeev Sahoo said: “Many startups don’t make it past the first six
months and support during those early days can make a huge difference. It’s been
an honour to act as a judge at this year’s competition. Each entry did a fantastic job
showcasing their hard work and put together some really strong pitches.”
Chairman of SBF Tracey Carter said: “Not only does the competition provide a
valuable opportunity for those just starting out to get their name out there, it helps lift
confidence at a time when you’re still finding your feet. I’m very proud of each finalist
and they will be warmly welcomed to the local business community.
“My advice to each participant who took part in this year’s competition would be to
always be inquisitive. We encourage them to drive their success and take every
opportunity they can.”