December 1st Bright SCIdea registration deadline approaching
Students looking for proof that it makes business sense to enter SCI’s annual Bright SCIdea entrepreneurship challenge need look no further than COP26. Past Bright SCIdea winner Dr Natasha Boulding was part of SCI’s young scientist Next Gen debate at COP26 recently.
During the panel debate, Natasha explained how she had turned her business plan into reality. She is now co-founder and CEO of Sphera Limited in Durham – a speciality materials company in the construction sector focussing on sustainable, low-carbon material alternatives to help in the race to Net-Zero.
This year’s Bright SCIdea challenge has seen a surge in international applications as university students prepare business plans for the £5,000 prize. Registration closes on 1 December but business plans do not need to be submitted until 11 February 2022. Shortlisted teams will then be invited to the Final on 15 March 2022.
The free, accredited business training for those registered started last week. Round two of the training is open to all teams registered by Thursday 2 December. Sessions will include business insight from Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne from Genius Foods, Martin Curry on Managing the Money and Neil Simpson on marketing and branding your idea.
The competition is open to teams of 3-4 university students (both undergraduates and post-graduates) with a scientific idea for a product or service that could be commercialised to benefit society.
Learn more about the Bright SCIdea Challenge.