The BiG Challenge for Schools

The BiG Challenge is designed to encourage and generate enterprise in education. Teams made up of pupils aged 11-19 from schools and colleges will have the opportunity to win a share of money to support enterprise in their school.  There are £100,000 of prizes in total with personal rewards, each member of the winning team will receive £100, plus the BiG Prize… a fully paid five day trip to the Harvard Business School in Boston USA for the winners.

 

David Grey, Group Managing Director of OSL Group Holdings Ltd will officially launch The BiG Challenge at Firth Park School on Wednesday, 7th November 2007 when he speaks to pupils about starting a business.  Pupils will be able to enter from 5th to 30th November 2007.

 

David Grey, also Chair of the city’s Local Economy Board, says: “It is vital that we encourage enterprise and entrepreneurship from a young age. The pupils coming through our schools and colleges today are the future of business and economic growth for Sheffield tomorrow.  By getting young people involved in the BiG challenge we can not only foster an interest in business but also show pupils that it can be fun and exciting being an entrepreneur too.”

 

Each business team will be given £25 cash, sponsored by Sheffield Technology Parks the leading Business Incubator in the region, as a starter.   Their business objective is to increase that amount by as much as possible within the BiG Challenge time frame, employing teamwork, innovation and entrepreneurship. 

 

Entrepreneurs will be available to provide advice and mentor the teams involved.  A shortlist will be put together in February 2008 and the short listed teams will be invited to pitch for the final prize in March with an awards evening the following month.

 

All profits made by the BiG Challenge businesses will be donated to charity. 

 

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