Next generation of north-east entrepreneurs to go head-to-head in competition final

By Kelly Wilson

March 17 2023, 5:00 pm

Winning 'managing director' Phoebe Strachan holds the silver trophy alongside her Bag of Hope teammates from Peterhead Academy in 2022. Image: Young Enterprise Grampian

Dozens of pupils from schools across the north-east will contest the Young Enterprise (YE) Grampian final.

After an intensive nine months of creating, setting up and running a small business, nine YE teams from a total of seven schools will showcase their entrepreneurial skills.

Pupils from Albyn School, Hazlehead Academy, Mackie Academy, Mearns Academy, Robert Gordon’s College, St Machar Academy and Westhill Academy will battle it out to be crowned winner.

All of the YE companies, set up and run by the pupils, will be judged on criteria including financial management, business acumen, sustainability and marketing flair.

Distinguished judges

The teams will showcase their products or services before facing questions from distinguished business experts.

Judges include Aberdeen Business School dean Elizabeth Gammie, Robert Gordon University lecturer Shona Douglas and Adam Smith, director of resources and senior lecturer in entrepreneurship at Aberdeen University’s business school.

Last year’s winning team was from Peterhead Academy.

The Blue Toon pupils, who named their business A Bag of Hope, worked with local charity Buchan Giving Tree to develop a bag of essentials for underprivileged families.

Special award

One participant in this year’s final, which will take place at the Leonardo Hotel at Aberdeen Airport on Tuesday, will be presented with the first Jordan Kearney Award.

It follows nominations from peers, business advisors and teachers to recognise a student who has shown extraordinary commitment to the success of their YE team, been a role model and demonstrated confidence and respect for others.

The accolade is in memory of the late Mr Kearney who, as a former YE Grampian contender at Peterhead Academy, made a huge impact to his community, his YE team and the overall competition in 2017.

Jordan Kearney, 22, died on December 22 with his family by his side. Image: Victoria Antonio/GoFundMe. — Jordan Kearney, 22, died on December 22 last year with his family by his side. Image: Victoria Antonio/GoFundMe

He died last December, aged 22, after a six-month battle with brain cancer.

YE Grampian chairman Ian Phillips said: “We are very excited to welcome our 2023 Young Enterprise school teams to the final, taking place on Tuesday, and to see them pitch their various and very creative business ideas to a panel of experts.”

YE Scotland, which is a registered charity, runs the annual programme delivering business experience for budding young entrepreneurs in S5 and S6.