Young Start Up Talent semi-finalists

One lucky winner will get to set up their dream business with a £50,000 prize of products and services.

Some 30 local and national businesses have been involved in sponsoring the project to encourage 16-21 year olds with an entrepreneurial flair to start-up their own business.

“The judging process went on into the late evening as entries were all discussed in turn and a final vote taken for the 12 selected for the next stage of the competition,” said judge and sponsor Lorraine Nugent.

“The judges will be looking for the candidate’s ability to implement their idea along with good presentation skills and overall entrepreneurial flair.”

The next stage of the competition is a “speed networking” evening organised for the applicants to experience one to one chats about their business ideas with the expert judges and sponsors at the Basepoint Business Centre in Crawley on Thursday January 19.

At the end of the evening the judges and sponsors will determine the final five applicants that will go through to the dragons den style final at Thales, Manor Royal, Crawley on February 9.

The winner of the competition will be announced at a prestigious event on March 29 at the Effingham Hotel.

The semi finalists are:

Steven Magazi – Dream High records, record label

Timothy Armoo – peer student tutoring

Sam Brown - high end costumes and accessories

Jed Kafetz – website to promote work experience vacancies

Amy Potts - personalised sports shirts for schools

Tom Appleton - breathalyser that plugs into the computer

Toby Gillett - online eBook library

William Chan - Tutor group centre

Jake Saunders - rent a rave – a mobile disco

Jessica Mok - personal shopper for those living outside the UK

Ben Dadswell - head guard for guitars to stop de-tuning

Yetunde Murphy - stationary dispensing vending machine in school/University

For more information visit www.youngstartuptalent.co.uk