Business Management students enter the Dragon’s Den

Last week twenty groups (with 4/5 students per group) of Business Management BSc(Hons) and International Business Management BSc(Hons) students pitched their ideas to twenty members of the Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce to pitch their Business Start-up ideas.

Students worked together in teams; to construct their own business start-up ideas. They thought creatively and then developed their ideas using sound business reasoning including production costs, market research, market strategy, pricing, legal implications and so on. They then presented their proposals to a panel of commercially experienced ‘Dragon’s’.

The business ideas being pitched included concierge services, mugs which can retain their heat, new bespoke gyms, a part-time student employment agency, a Brighton spa, and a coconut mouthwash.

The Dragon’s, the majority of whom are entrepreneurs themselves, listened carefully to the students’ business pitches and gave individual, practical and realistic feedback about the students’ start-up ideas.

Pete Jenkins, our Entrepreneur in Residence and founder of Gamification+, an entrepreneurial business dedicated to helping organisations use games and gamification to improve their performance and innovation organised this event with the support of Rachael Carden, course leader for our International Business Management BSc and other members of the teaching team.

Peter talked to us about the event: “Although no real funding is allocated at the event, this initiative simulates a situation in which students could find themselves during their future career. For example, where they would need to present an idea or solution to the senior management team of an organisation, to customers or to potential investors.

“By having this opportunity to network with professionals with expertise in areas including IT, accounting, web design, marketing, hospitality and retail – the students will use all feedback to help develop their final Business Plans as part of their final year Entrepreneurship module – as well as gaining an important network in industry”.

Well done to everyone who took part, and thank you to the members of the Brighton Chamber of Commerce for judging.