Four budding entrepreneurs have been named as finalists in the Virgin Media Pioneers Pitch to Rich competition after securing the public's backing in an online vote. The finalists, whose businesses cover confectionary, fuel injection systems, sustainable construction and fashion, have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pitch to Sir Richard Branson and a panel of successful business leaders, for the chance to win a prize package worth £5,000.
The finalists include:
Barbara Jones from Halifax who runs Straw Works, an innovative design, building and training company that specialises in using natural materials such as straw bales to create affordable and efficient home and offices.
Dr Stephen Terry from Liverpool has established TCK engines and has developed a fuel injection system which maximises the efficiency of combustion and hybrid engines resulting in fuel savings and reduced engine emissions.
Joshua & John Okungbaiye from south London, have developed High Spirit, which creates theft proof rucksacks.
Imran Merza also from London has established The Jealous Life which makes sweets for grown ups' containing no gelatine, gluten or artificial flavours.
The finalists now have one week to prepare their pitch before they go head to head, in a bid to impress the panel of business experts including Sir Richard Branson; Virgin Media Pioneers success story and founder of SBTV, Jamal Edwards; Thea Green, the founder of Nails Inc; and Hummingbird Bakery founder Tarek Malouf.
Sir Richard Branson, Pioneer-At-Large of Virgin Media Pioneers and founder of the Virgin Group, said: I always look forward to judging the Pitch to Rich final as it gives me a wonderful opportunity to meet a host of interesting aspiring entrepreneurs. It's a real privilege to be able to help talented young people achieve their goals and I am impressed by the tenacity and creativity of the finalists. I wish them all the best of luck.
Jamal Edwards said, I have experienced first-hand how the Virgin Pioneers network can help young entrepreneurs to share ideas, obtain advice, and meet like-minded individuals with the same dreams and aspirations. I can't wait to meet this year's finalists and am looking forward to becoming a mentor to the next wave of entrepreneurial talent.
Tarek Malouf continues, I'm really intrigued to meet this year's Pitch to Rich finalists and to find out more about their business models. I know exactly how challenging it is to establish a new business and just how crucial good advice and opportunities to secure capital can be. Thats why I think opportunities like the Pitch to Rich competition are great platforms to help and inspire determined young entrepreneurs. It's such a fantastic event and a brilliant way to recognise the wealth of entrepreneurial talent in the UK.
Showing youve really done your research and know your market and business model inside out is crucial to delivering a convincing pitch.
Thea Green, founder of Nails Inc added, Trying to establish a business in the current climate is always going to be challenging for a young entrepreneur but I am sure that all of this year's Pitch to Rich finalists have what it takes to succeed. I am really excited about seeing their business ideas.
The winner, who will be announced on the day, will receive a prize package worth £5,000, including cash investment and receiving expert legal, branding and marketing advice as well as mentoring for their business. The runners up will also receive £1,000 worth of investment, as well as an opportunity to build their network and raise their profile to further their business prospects.
Last year's winner, Dan Watson from London, designed SafetyNet, a sustainable fishing system designed to help juvenile fish escape during the trawling process.
Virgin Media Pioneers was founded by Virgin Media in 2010. Today, the free peer-to-peer network supports 5,000 young entrepreneurs, providing mentoring, advice and unique business opportunities.
Sir Richard Branson's top tips for pitching:
Here are five simple similarities shared by all successful pitches:
- They explain how the new business will make a difference to customers and provide a compelling alternative to competitors. This means showing a new way of doing things to shake up the market, and explaining it in short, sharp, entertaining fashion.
- They are grounded in expert knowledge of the industry. If you are going to launch anything - a new social network, a new bank, a new fashion line you need to demonstrate a solid understanding of the market and how you can disrupt it.
- They have a realistic plan. While high concepts are fine, pitches need to illustrate how a company could work practically. This means legal, financial and operational plans. It's tough to include details in a short presentation, but the most engaging pitches manage to combine passion with pragmatism.
- They are in it for the long haul. Nothing stays the same, and business changes faster than most things. Pitches latching on to the flavour of the month are all well and good, but they need to communicate how the business could grow sustainably and develop in the future.
- They show their strongest hand. Pitching is all about selling your idea and your business as an exciting place to be. Highlight the strengths especially the talented people who are working on the project and don't be afraid to talk up your prospects.
To find out more about the Virgin Media Pioneers or to enter, visit: www.virginmediapioneers.com or @VMPioneers #VMPitch2Rich
For journalist enquiries contact
Press Office
t: 0207 909 2225
e: pressoffice@virginmedia.co.uk
About Virgin Media
Virgin Media is the first provider of all four broadband, TV, mobile phone and home phone services in the UK.
The company delivers ultrafast bro
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
06/05/2024
It's almost go-time for the Holly Springs Salamanders! The season opener is ...
05/05/2024
A special evening performance by multiplatinum singer Becky G will provide a memorable conclusion to TeievisaUnivision's Casa Cultura upfront event on May 1...
05/05/2024
Giant media buyer Publicis is telling network sales executives that it does not think Nielsen's new panel-plus-big-data currency is ready for this upfront....
05/05/2024
WASHINGTON Glenn Kirschner, legal analyst at NBC News, blasted the media for referring to the New York trial of former President Donald Trump as a hush-money ...
05/05/2024
Catchy Comedy's weekend marathon sees The Beverly Hillbillies on the weekend of May 4-5. The event kicks off Saturday, May 4 at 11 a.m. ET, and runs through...
05/05/2024
NBC Sports has the 150th Kentucky Derby Saturday, May 4. The coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock and the feature race at Churchill Downs in Louis...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
Four budding entrepreneurs have been named as finalists in the Virgin Media Pioneers Pitch to Rich competition after securing the public's backing in an online vote. The finalists, whose businesses cover confectionary, fuel injection systems, sustainable construction and fashion, have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pitch to Sir Richard Branson and a panel of successful business leaders, for the chance to win a prize package worth £5,000.
