Brighton business students impress judges in ‘The Tiger’s Pen’

University of Brighton’s business students have served up a host of new business pitches to leading local business experts at an event dubbed The Tiger’s Pen.

The brainchild of Sonny Cutting, Founder and Event Director of the Sussex Business Show (part of Network Express), this local take on TV’s The Dragons’ Den is designed to help start-ups scale up, offering expert guidance as well as the prospect of investment.

The event at the University of Brighton was the first student-focused Tiger’s Pen, and is intended to become a regular showcase for Business Management BSc (Hons) and International Business Management BSc (Hons) students at the university’s highly rated School of Business and Law, providing feedback from expert judges to help students refine their business plans – which will also be assessed and count towards their degrees.

The Best Concept Award went to the Night Saver app. Aimed at first year students, the app allows users to type in their new university area to see reviews and safety ratings for a range of local venues. Night Saver also allows users to share their location with others, and call for assistance from their own network of users.

The Tigers were particularly impressed with the idea’s relevance following the rise in drink spikings on nights out, and the student team behind the idea – Arjun Johal, Yvan Anthony, Ramtin Fatoorechi, Kwok Chiu Yin and Liam Weller – will now be invited to pitch to Tigers offering up to £5,000 investment at the Sussex Business Show in May 2022.

There was also an award for the Best Pitch that acknowledged outstanding presentation skills, and this went to a team featuring Candy Ly, Jeorge Chadd and Tom O’Reilly, who had created an app which parents can install on their children’s phones to keep an eye on their social media use.

Other pitches at the Tiger’s Pen event included an app to commission photographers for specific photo needs, an all-purpose bedside table with built-in speakers and charging ports, plus Bambootilicious – underwear made from bamboo!

Paul Britton from Hove-based Britton and Time Solicitors was among the judges, and he said: “I think the students all really enjoyed it, and their lecturers did as well. It gave them a real-world perception of what business is actually like. It’s also an opportunity to look for talent and then nurture that into something more substantial – not only for them, but their business creates opportunity for other people as well.”

As well as Sonny Cutting and Paul Britton, other judges on the Tiger’s Pen panel included:

• Amy Lishman – Brighton and Hove Chambers of Commerce
• Steve Rackley: Silicon Brighton
• Sam Thomas – County Business Clubs
• Flo Powell – Midnight Communications
• Nick Poyner: Rubix VT

Keep updated on the University of Brighton edition of The Tiger’s Pen by following the Sussex Business Show on social media or visit their website.

Twitter: @SussexBizShow
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sussexbizshow/
Web: sussexbizshow.com