Last year we had a whopping 300+ applications, shortlisted to seven fantastic startups Twipes, Savi Technology, Intore, HausBots, Aircard, BombPetite and Motus Innovation competing at our finals. The impressive robotic gaming hand company Motus Innovation ended up wowing the judges with their fantastic pitch and claiming the Grand Prize of £10,000.
Fabulous sponsors Tata are once again embarking on another adventure with us, as we launch Varsity Pitch 2018, one of the UK’s flagship enterprise events, celebrating and showcasing the entrepreneurial flair of young businesses from students and graduates, something NACUE has been doing for nearly a decade now!
We have put together four reasons why you should apply for this year’s competition:
1) Double your chances and apply for 2 categories
What does this really mean? Well, it’s simple. It doubles your chance to impress different sets of online judges so as to be shortlisted to pitch at the semifinals but it could also be in both categories too. Motus Innovation, last year’s winner, was shortlisted and pitched in both the Genuine Innovation and the Digital & Technical category selected to go through to the finals in the Digital & Technical category.
2) Online People’s Vote
Share your pitch with your community and encourage them to vote online for your company when it goes live but only for 1 week, so get prepared! The highest voted for business is then fast-tracked to the LIVE Finals in November 2018. Can you beat last year's category winners who amassed over 31,000 votes?
3) Ideas Category with new prize package
Got an early stage game changing business? A new product or service? For the first time in Varsity Pitch history, we are offering a cool cash prize of £500 for the business which goes through to the finals.
4) Bootcamp
Shortlisted through to the finals? Join us at a one day Bootcamp, receiving 1:2:1 mentoring from outstanding mentors, for you and a business colleague. An impressive lineup of industry experts will ensure you are more than prepared for the Grand Finals. Training to ensure you deliver the best possible business pitch, constructive financial advice for your business not just generic stuff, an in depth review of your business plan plus much more, will mean that even if you don't win our competition you still have the means to take yourselves further. A truly unique opportunity. Here’s what one of last year’s finalists said about Bootcamp:
“Bootcamp was an amazing experience. We got to meet leading experts who helped us improve and specify exactly what we needed to do in our business plan” – Savi Technology
If we haven’t tempted you yet to apply then check out last year’s competition highlights here.
Unsure how to do a 60 - seconds video pitch? Use your smartphone and see how here.
Give your business the kickstart that it deserves by taking this amazing opportunity to showcase your business to some of the biggest companies in the UK.
Any current student at a UK university or college, as well as anyone who graduated after 2013, can enter but the competition closes on Friday 27th July (Midday).
So get applying!! To apply simply click here.