Lloyds seeks student supremos

LLOYDS TSB has launched a new awards scheme offering up to £50,000 to help kick-start the UK’s most innovative student or graduate business.

The bank said its new Enterprise Awards initiative is part of its plan to support small firms with growth potential, as well as envouraging entrepreneurial activities among universities.

It has commissioned a new study which show that six out of ten students have entrepreneurial ambitions but want more support in helping to set up businesses. There are currently around 55,000 student busineses in Britain.

Lloyds said that its prize would begin with heats in six regions across England, including the North West. It will have two categories – Best Start-Up for a business deemed to be in its early stages and Best Enterprise which is open for people who have graduated within the past five years whose business has traded for at least 12 months.

The heats take place next February, ahead of a UK-wide final in March.
Leigh Taylor, area director for Lloyds TSB Commercial in the North West, said: “Britain has a proud history of enterprise and for generations our universities have played a fundamental role in promoting business talent.

“We want to ensure that the talent emerging from our universities does not go unrecognised, and play our part in nurturing and supporting entrepreneurs, to give them the best chance of future growth.”

Business minister Mark Prisk said: “The Government wants to grow the next generation of entrepreneurs by ensuring that young people get hands-on experience of enterprise at college and university.

“I am pleased to offer my support to this project, and I encourage students and graduates to take part.”
Details can be found at (http://www.lloydstsbenterpriseawards.com/)