Charters School in Sunningdale has joined forces with Ascot Wealth Management to start a Young Entrepreneur competition for students which develops business skills.

Created by ex-Charters student Mark Insley and his company Ascot Wealth Management the initiative works along the lines of Dragons Den, with teams developing a business plan and then pitching their ideas to local businesses to secure funding. The students, who with the help of their Ascot Wealth Management mentors, receive 6 weeks of training and then trade competitively for 6 weeks.

The pitching evening was held on Monday 23 January at the conference facilities of Belron’s Milton Park headquarters in Egham and during the three hour event, the 12 teams pitched their business plans to 12 local businesses. Like professional boxers, each team chose music to fanfare their arrival, before delivering their 5 minute pitches and taking questions from the “Dragons”.

They will hear how much finding they have secured during their weekly training slot this Friday.

After half term, the students will enter the trading period of the competition and will be selling their goods and services in the Broad Street Shopping Mall and the local area. The team which increases their initial funding by the largest percentage will win a business day out in London and a prize of £1000 to spend on an event of their choice.

It is hoped that the initiative will not only equip the students with the skills to develop their businesses over the term of the competition, but also raise in excess of £20,000 for the school!  www.chartersschool.org.uk