Entering Competitions & Incubators

Entering Competitions & Incubators

Running a business as a young person is impressive. But did you know there are dozens of competitions, programmes, and incubators across the UK specifically designed to support entrepreneurs your age? These can give you funding, mentorship, exposure, and credibility that would take years to build on your own.

This guide covers the biggest UK opportunities, how to find them, what judges look for, and how to craft applications and pitches that stand out.

Why Enter Competitions?

Even if you do not win, entering business competitions is one of the smartest things you can do. Here is why:

• Funding and prizes — many offer cash, grants, or resources worth hundreds or thousands of pounds
• Mentorship — access to experienced business people who can guide you
• Credibility — "Award-winning young entrepreneur" looks incredible on university applications and CVs
• Network — meet other young entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters
• Feedback — judges give you expert opinions on your business
• Confidence — pitching to a panel is terrifying at first, but it gets easier and makes you a stronger communicator
• Media exposure — competition winners often get press coverage

Major UK Programmes for Young Entrepreneurs

#### Young Enterprise (Ages 15-19)

Young Enterprise is the UK's leading enterprise education charity. Their flagship programme, the Company Programme, lets teams of students set up and run a real business over an academic year.

What you get:

• A structured framework for building a business with your classmates
• A dedicated business volunteer mentor
• Regional and national competitions with prizes
• A qualification recognised by UCAS

How it works:

• Your school signs up (ask your teacher if they are not already involved)
• Teams of 8-15 students create a real company
• You elect a board of directors, raise share capital, create a product or service, and trade
• Regional finals lead to a national final with significant prizes

Key dates: Registration typically opens in September for the academic year. Ask your teacher early.

Website: young-enterprise.org.uk

#### The Tenner Challenge (Ages 11-19)

Run by Young Enterprise, the Tenner Challenge gives you £10 (a real tenner!) and four weeks to turn it into as much profit as possible.

What you get:

• £10 starting capital (per student or team)
• Access to online business planning resources
• Chance to win prizes in categories like Most Profit, Best Social Impact, and Best Digital

Why it is great for beginners:

• Low risk — you are only working with £10
• Short timeframe — four weeks keeps it focused
• Teaches core business skills in a real-world setting
• You can enter as an individual or a team

Key dates: Usually runs between January and March. Registration opens in the autumn term.

Website: tenner.young-enterprise.org.uk

#### Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (Ages 16-19)

Founded by Dragons' Den star Peter Jones CBE, the Enterprise Academy is a network of colleges and schools delivering BTEC qualifications in enterprise and entrepreneurship.

What you get:

• A nationally recognised BTEC qualification
• Access to the Tycoon in Schools competition (see below)
• Enterprise-focused teaching and mentoring
• Links to the wider Peter Jones Foundation network

Tycoon in Schools:

• Teams receive up to £2,000 investment to start a real business
• You pitch to a panel of judges
• Profits go to charity (so it is about the learning, not keeping the money)
• National competition with a final judged by Peter Jones himself

Key dates: Tycoon in Schools typically runs across the autumn and spring terms.

Website: pjea.org.uk

#### Virgin StartUp (Ages 18+)

While Virgin StartUp officially targets 18+, it is worth knowing about now so you are ready when you turn 18.

What they offer:

• Start Up Loans of £500 to £25,000 at a fixed 6% interest rate
• Free business planning support and mentoring
• Access to the wider Virgin business network
• Resources specifically designed for first-time entrepreneurs

Why plan for this now:

• You can start building your business plan and track record today
• Having a business already running when you apply makes you a much stronger candidate
• The mentoring they provide is exceptionally high quality

Website: virginstartup.org

#### Shell LiveWIRE

Shell LiveWIRE supports young entrepreneurs aged 16-30 with awards, funding, and resources.

What they offer:

• Monthly Smarter Future Awards of up to £5,000
• Free business plan resources and guides
• Networking and peer support through their online community
• Focus on innovative and sustainable business ideas

How to enter:

• Apply online with your business plan and a short pitch
• Winners are selected monthly
• Strong focus on innovation, sustainability, and social impact

Website: shell-livewire.org

Other Competitions Worth Knowing About

#### UK Youth (Various Programmes)

Runs entrepreneurship workshops and awards for young people across the UK. Check their website for current opportunities.

#### School-Level Competitions

Many schools run their own enterprise days, Dragon's Den-style pitch events, and business plan competitions. These are often the easiest place to start — ask your teacher about what is available.

#### Local Council and Chamber of Commerce Awards

Most local areas have young enterprise awards or small business competitions. Search "[your area] young entrepreneur competition" or ask at your local library or council website.

#### The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE)

While not a business competition, running a business can count towards the Skills section of your DofE award at Bronze, Silver, or Gold level. Worth combining if you are already doing DofE.

What Judges Look For

Whether you are writing an application or delivering a pitch, judges typically assess these areas:

#### 1. The Problem and Your Solution

• Is there a clear problem that real people have?
• Does your product or service genuinely solve it?
• What makes your solution different from what already exists?

#### 2. Understanding Your Market

• Who are your customers? Be specific — "everyone" is not a target market
• How big is the opportunity?
• Have you actually spoken to potential customers?

#### 3. Your Business Model

• How do you make money?
• What does it cost to produce your product or deliver your service?
• What are your margins and pricing?
• Is the business sustainable (can it keep going)?

#### 4. Traction and Evidence

• Have you made any sales yet?
• Do you have customer testimonials or feedback?
• Can you show growth — more sales, more customers, more followers?
• Evidence beats promises every time

#### 5. The Team

• Why are you the right person (or people) to do this?
• What skills and experience do you bring?
• Have you shown commitment and resilience?

#### 6. Impact

• What difference does your business make?
• Many competitions, especially for young people, value social impact alongside profit
• Think about impact on your community, the environment, or a cause you care about

#### 7. Passion and Presentation

• Do you genuinely care about this? Judges can tell
• Is your pitch clear, confident, and well-structured?
• Can you answer tough questions without falling apart?

Crafting a Winning Application

Most competitions require a written application before you get to pitch. Here is how to make yours stand out:

Start with a hook. Your opening sentence should grab attention. Not "My business sells candles." Try "Last year, I turned £15 worth of soy wax into a £400 business selling hand-poured candles — and I am just getting started."

Tell a story. Judges read dozens (sometimes hundreds) of applications. Stories are memorable. Explain why you started, what challenges you overcame, and where you are going.

Use numbers. "Our business is growing" is weak. "We have grown from 12 to 85 customers in three months, with a 95% repeat purchase rate" is powerful.

Be specific. Vague answers lose marks. Instead of "we plan to expand," say "we plan to launch in two new schools by Easter, targeting an additional 200 potential customers."

Answer the actual question. This sounds obvious, but loads of applicants go off on tangents. Read each question carefully and answer exactly what they are asking.

Proofread. Spelling mistakes and sloppy formatting suggest a lack of attention to detail. Ask someone else to read your application before you submit it.

Meet the deadline. Late applications are almost never accepted. Set yourself a deadline a few days before the real one so you have time to review and polish.

Pitch Preparation

If your application is successful, you will usually need to pitch in person or over video. Here is how to prepare:

#### Structure Your Pitch

Most competition pitches are 3-5 minutes. Use this structure:

• Hook (15 seconds) — grab attention with a surprising fact, question, or bold statement
• The problem (30 seconds) — what issue are you solving?
• Your solution (45 seconds) — what is your product or service and how does it work?
• Traction (30 seconds) — what have you achieved so far? Sales, customers, feedback
• Business model (30 seconds) — how do you make money? What are your costs and margins?
• The ask (15 seconds) — what do you want? Funding? Mentorship? Both?
• Vision (15 seconds) — where is this going? Paint a picture of the future

#### Practice, Practice, Practice

• Rehearse until you can deliver your pitch without reading from notes
• Time yourself — going over the limit is a common mistake
• Practice in front of friends, family, and your teacher-mentor
• Record yourself and watch it back (uncomfortable but incredibly useful)
• Prepare for tough questions — ask people to challenge you in practice sessions

#### On the Day

• Arrive early and set up any materials in advance
• Dress smartly but be yourself — you do not need a suit, just look like you made an effort
• Make eye contact with the judges, not the floor
• Speak slowly and clearly — nerves make everyone speed up
• If you do not know the answer to a question, say so honestly. "I have not looked into that yet, but I will — great question" is far better than making something up
• Smile. You are talking about something you love. Let that show

Age Requirements and Eligibility

Always check the specific age requirements before applying:

Some programmes require you to be enrolled at a participating school or college. Others are open to anyone in the UK. Always read the eligibility criteria carefully — there is nothing worse than putting hours into an application only to discover you are not eligible.

Building Your Competition Track Record

Competitions get easier and more successful the more you enter. Here is a smart progression:

• Start local — school enterprise days, local council awards
• Go regional — Young Enterprise regional heats, county-level competitions
• Aim national — national finals, UK-wide programmes
• Build on each one — mention previous competition experience in your next application

Each competition you enter — win or lose — gives you practice, feedback, and a better story to tell next time.

Making the Most of the Experience

Whether you win or not:

• Connect with judges — they are usually successful business people who might mentor you
• Network with other competitors — some of your best business contacts will be people who started at the same stage as you
• Ask for feedback — most competitions will give you written or verbal feedback. This is gold
• Share your experience — post about it on social media, add it to your Futurepreneurs profile, mention it in future applications
• Keep going — many successful entrepreneurs entered multiple competitions before winning. Rejection is just redirection

The fact that you are running a business at your age already puts you ahead of most people. Competitions and incubators are simply tools to accelerate what you are already building.