Entrepreneurial students from The Latimer Arts College in Kettering recently travelled to London to pitch their best commercial ideas to a team of top business executives in a Dragon’s Den-style contest.

The star pupils appeared under the spotlight in the boardroom of Kier, a leading construction, services and property group, where they were grilled on their ideas by senior executives from the company.

The event marked the finale of a young-enterprise initiative led by Kier, which maintains close links with Latimer and has run a series of workshops for students at the College.

Shalin Saujani, Head of Business at Latimer Arts College, explained:

“Kier support us with a young enterprise course to mentor students through a range of important business matters. Groups then have a chance to pitch for an investment to get their start-up idea off the ground.”

This year students offered the Kier ‘Dragons’ proposals including a new range of chocolate truffles; a personalised Oyster card branding service; a carbon-capture canister for the leisure industry, and a device to assist back-pain sufferers in the home.

All of the students received support to help take their plans forward. The ‘Delicieux’ handmade chocolate gift team of Year 11 students James Robinson and Matthew Brook received £100, as did their fellow Year 11s Joe Friess, George Lowe and Josh Christie for their Oyster card-branding service.

Debbie Koop, Management Accountant for Kier Property, commented:

“All of the students performed exceptionally well and have clearly improved on their original business ideas, taking on board advice from Kier Property staff and really drilling down into the process.”

Latimer Arts College student James Robinson, added:

“It was a really good experience. We were given great advice which will also help us in the future. I wish I could do it again and recommend the experience to anyone who is thinking about going into business.”