Greater Peterborough's Best New Small Business Idea 2006

 

 

 

 

 

The competition is open to both individuals and small businesses.

 

Individuals who are considering establishing a business through which to take forward their idea must either reside in the Greater Peterborough area (defined as the local authority areas of Peterborough and Fenland) or be committed to establishing their business within that area.

 

Individual entrants will have to demonstrate that they have already taken significant steps towards realising their idea, perhaps by including an outline business plan with their application.  Existing small businesses (defined as having five or less employees) must be already located in the Greater Peterborough area.

 

 

The winning entrant will win the Start Doing Something New Today Award 2006 and a cash prize of £2,000.  They will also receive free mentoring from one of Peterborough Enterprise Programme's business advisers and the support and advice of a panel of Peterborough's leading business figures for a twelve month period.   During this time the organisers will seek to publish up-dates on progress by taking forward the Best New Small Business Idea in the local press.

 

One of the finalists may also be invited to sit on the panel of judges for the Start Doing Something New Today Award 2007. 

 

The four runners-up will receive 6 months free mentoring from one of Peterborough Enterprise Programme's business advisers.

 

 

All entrants should complete the attached application form and return it before 5pm on 28 February to

 

Start Doing Something New Today Award

Peterborough Enterprise Programme

1^st Floor, Market Chambers

Cathedral Square

Peterborough

PE1 1XW

 

The document below appears in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. In order to view it you will need to have Acrobat Reader installed. (Those with visual impairments may wish to investigate Access Adobe, which provides tools and information to help make PDF files more accessible.)

 

 

The entries will be assessed against the criteria set out above by a panel of judges representing a variety of business and commercial organisations operating in the Greater Peterborough area.

 

The judges will draw up a short-list of five finalists who will then be invited to make a 5 minute presentation to the panel on 10 March demonstrating their commitment to their idea, why they think it will succeed and what use they would make both of the cash prize and of the panel of advisers to increase their chances of success should they win the Award.

 

Short-listed finalists will be notified by telephone by 3 March 2006 and offered the practical support of a professional business adviser to help them prepare for their presentations.

 

The winning entry will then be announced at a special awards event on 15 March 2006 at the John Clare Theatre, Peterborough.

 

1.      Entrants must either live or operate as a business in the Greater Peterborough area or intend to establish their business in that area (Greater Peterborough is in this instance defined as the local authority boundaries of Peterborough City Council and Fenland District Council).

 

2.      Business entrants must have no more than five employees at the date of submitting their entry.

 

3.      Individual applicants must be 16 or over.

 

4.      No employee of any of the organising or sponsoring bodies can enter the competition.

 

5.      Entries are restricted to one entry per individual or enterprise.

 

6.      No entry will be accepted after 5pm on 28 February 2006.

 

7.      All competition entries will be treated in confidence with the exception of the five short-listed finalists    who must allow the Peterborough Enterprise Programme to publicise their identity and their idea.

 

8.      The five short-listed finalists will make themselves available for the presentations on 10 March and on  15 March 2006 for the Award ceremony.

 

9.      The winning entrant will allow Peterborough Enterprise Programme to publicise their progress throughout the following twelve months.

 

10.  The judges' decision is final.

 

11.  No correspondence will be entered into

 

12.  The cash prize will be paid into the winning entrant's business bank account. No alternative prizes are available.

 

13.    Peterborough Enterprise Programme accepts no responsibility for the success or otherwise of the winning entrant. 

 

14.  Peterborough Enterprise Programme will not be held responsible if members of the panel of advisers fail to provide their committed time to the support of the winning entrant.