Year 10 students pitch to 'Dragon's Den'

Year 10 Business students faced the daunting challenge of pitching business proposals to real
life ‘Dragons’ in an event organised by The Suffolk Chamber of Commerce that mirrored the
hit BBC programme, ‘Dragon’s Den.’

The students have been developing their business skills and plans with the help of Jo Leverett
of Suffolk Young Chamber, Andrea Davies of AED Leadership Dynamics Ltd, and their Business Studies teacher Mr Moon. The class was set the task of forming credible business plans, in the hope that the three dragons
would invest up to £300 for each business. The event took place at the Suffolk Enterprise Hub on Monday 16th May 2011. The Dragons were led by Harry Berry, chairman of the Eastern Enterprise Hub, and supported by Jan Candy, of Media Fish and Felixstowe Radio and Deanna Tilston of Tilston Phillips. The students presented business ideas for a community sports service, a health and beauty service, a gaming club, a clothing company and a healthy drinks retailer. They did so well that each group was given the funds to start a trial period, enabling them to test their
business out. They will then have to face the Dragons again to see if they returned a profit.

Andrew Farn , managing director of Gamez IT, a company wanting to establish an after school gaming club, said
‘We had worked hard for months, researching our market base and developing a good business model. We were nervous of pitching to the Dragons, but we did well and they gave us some good advice.’

The students will now have funds to establish their businesses. Then the Dragons will return to see if their investment has paid off!