Hudds entrepreneurs head to Glasgow in £10,000 prize competition
Thu, 18 Feb 2016 16:29:00 GMT
Adriana and Stephen are two of just 12 finalists in the TestTown competition and are the only representatives from Yorkshire
TWO University of Huddersfield graduates have made it into the final of just 12 candidates in a major national ‘young entrepreneurs’ competition offering prize-money of £10,000 to the winner
The enterprising duo, who both have individual business are representing not only Huddersfield, but the whole of Yorkshire, as they are the only candidates from the county to have progressed to the final of TestTown.
Backed by the Carnegie UK Trust, TestTown is designed to boost economic regeneration by challenging young entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas in towns across the UK.
In the Huddersfield TestTown, judges declared the overall winner as Adriana Tavares Green (pictured), with her business designing bespoke rugs and toppieces Adriana Tavares Rugs, and runner-up Stephen Bond, with his independent artisan liqueurs company Panda’s Kitchen.
Adriana’s bespoke designs embrace shape, colour and innovation to ensure that Adriana Tavares Rugs revolutionises the perception of surfaces and turns furniture and furnishings into a piece of art. The Huddersfield designer fashions ‘refreshing surfaces’ through the endangered and heritage craft of hand tufting.
The second-placed Huddersfield TestTown contestant Stephen Bond (pictured), launched independent liqueurs company Panda’s Kitchen and is now based in Huddersfield’s Byram Arcade. He produces original liqueur infusions that combine a mixture of interesting and exotic flavours.
The initial success of the Huddersfield entrepreneurs means that between the 24th and 27th February the pair will now compete in Glasgow TestTown first prize of £10,000, to support the progression of their business.
Both entrepreneurs are graduates from the University’s School of Art, Design and Architecture and launched their businesses with advice and support from the University’s Enterprise Team in the The Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Centre.
The team assists enterprising students and recent graduates, like Adriana and Stephen, to develop their business ideas through one-to-one meetings with their business advisors, a series of business skills events and where appropriate, access to proof of concept funding. They also provide entrepreneurs with a professional base for their businesses, hot-desking and free use of the electronic facilities.
Philip Clegg, who is Head of Student and Graduate Business Start-Up within the Enterprise Team, was delighted that not just one but two students would be competing for first prize.
“No other town in the country has two candidates at the final and I am extremely proud to learn that two of our supported businesses have reached the final of this exciting competition,” said Mr Clegg. “Both Adriana and Stephen have worked so hard to achieve their successes and we are looking forward to following their progress in Glasgow later this month.”
