Returning to the 2020 Hertfordshire County Show for it’s second year, The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire’s Entrepreneurs Challenge will once again be giving local entrepreneurs, with cutting edge ideas, the opportunity to battle it out in front of a panel of judges, walking away with a one-of-a-kind business development prize. Tom Pellereau, winner of the 2011 BBC Apprentice, will be a judge during the first round of the selection process.
The 2019 launch proved to be a huge success, with ten finalists going through to pitching, instead of six as originally planned. Last year’s winners Suzero said ‘Winning the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire’s Entrepreneurs Challenge gave us access to amazing resources which has helped us grow Suzero further’. Suzero, a healthy snack bar, was founded by Hertfordshire University students Sam and Ollie, using locally sourced, natural ingredients. Sam and Ollie walked away with a monetary prize, financial advice, legal advice, intellectual property advice and marketing advice.
The challenge was set up with the aim to help support and promote local entrepreneurs, in the early stages of setting up their business. The Hertfordshire Agricultural Society (HAS), organisers of The Hertfordshire County Show, have long been advocates of local industry, while Lord Lieutenant Robert Voss has a been a mentor to young entrepreneurs for a number of years, establishing and running a Young Entrepreneurs Challenge. The County Show already has three well established ‘Made In Hertfordshire’ Marquee, as well as a ‘Hertfordshire Etsy’ Marquee, and HAS are very excited about the new addition of local talent to the Show offering, as well as for the opportunity to continue to support local enterprise.
The challenge is open to anyone who meets the below criteria;
- Innovative and enterprising idea
- Business running for less than 3 years
- Could be a service or a product
- Has the potential for growth
- Based in Hertfordshire
- Does not have to be linked to agriculture
Application forms for the challenge can be found here and must be returned to Sarah Moreland on office@hertsshow.com by 31st January.