Schoolkids went head-to-head in a “pitch battle” to prove who was top dog in this year’s Young Enterprise Fair staged in London’s East End.
Pupils from secondary schools across London set up their student company pitches at the Old Spitalfields Market after being trained in business practice by the Young Enterprise charity since the beginning of term.
But the real test of their business prowess was the charity’s annual fair on Wednesday when they ran their market stalls to pitch their goods and services to the public.
“The students have had to face real business challenges,” the charity’s publicist Callum Booth explained.
“They had to elect their board of directors when setting up their companies and had to raise share capital to finance their operation—then sell to the public.”
The young entrepreneurs were guided by mentors before being judged by business professionals from different sectors of commerce for their customer service and knowledge of their products.
Top titles were scooped by two teams from schools in Kingston-Upon-Thames, Tiffin Girls’ for Best Overall Company with their cardboard smartphone projector and St Paul’s as Best Sales Team for their app that makes a phone function as a computer mouse. Hillingdon’s Bishopshalt Secondary had Best Trade Stand with their wireless earbud for listening to music and answering calls.
East London schools taking part were St Angela’s Ursuline in Forest Gate, Lister Commumnity in Plaistow, Valentine’s in Gant’s Hill and Sacred Heart of Mary in Upminster. No Tower Hamlets schools took part this year.
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