Competitions

There are many competitions that you can enter to learn entrepreneurial skills and win fantastic prizes. We offer several internal competitions and can provide support and advice about those offered externally. Visit the Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs competitions page to find our more about all the latest competitions for start-ups.

It isn't as hard to win as you think! Typically, very few people enter business competitions, so the odds of you winning are relatively high.

Enterprise Minigrants

If you think that you can develop an idea into a sustainable commercial or social enterprise, you can apply for a grant of up to £2,000. Teams consisting of at least one member of staff and one student are invited to apply for project funding. You are also encouraged to invite alumni to join your team. 

The purpose of the scheme is to fund out-of-pocket expenses in developing an entrepreneurial idea with potential to become a sustainable, scalable commercial or social enterprise. Winning one of these grants may prove sufficiently robust to attract follow-on WestFocus/PARK seed funding of up to £50,000. Unfortunately the deadline for 2010-11 grant applications has now passed - but keep your eyes pealed as the scheme will be back next year, bigger and better than ever before.

For more information, email minigrants@rhul.ac.uk.

Pitching Competitions

Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs and the Students' Union run a 'Dragons' Den' style competition each October, where Royal Holloway students pitch in front of top entrepreneurs to win a prize of £1,000. To enter the competition, pick up a short entry form from the Students' Union or from the Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs' stand at Freshers' Fair. 

In addition, the National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) hold the annual National Varsity Pitch Competition. Here, students from across the UK battle to win a prizes of £10,000 - which was won in 2010 by now alumna, Jess Ratcliffe. 

Bright Ideas

The Bright Ideas competition, run by the WestFocus consortium of Universities, does not require you to pitch your idea. Instead you are judged on a mini-business plan that you submit. You could win one of:

• 7 prizes of £1000
• 16 prizes of £250
• Plus an additional £250 for the best healthcare idea.

You don't need any formal business knowledge and you can enter on your own or as part of a team. Visit the WestFocus Entrepreneurship Centre website for more information and to apply.

Trading Competitions

Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs run an annual competition based on the popular TV series 'The Apprentice'. The competition pits teams of students against each other to make as much money as possible from a seed fund of £50. Profits from the competition are donated to charity. Sign up for a newsletter with details of the competition and other entrepreneurship news.