Durham’s young entrepreneurs awarded for tech-based eco-bin
Year 8 students win County Durham Future Business Magnates competition with bin that weighs food waste to encourage recycling and composting.
Ingenious school students aged 12 and 13 have been battling it out at the annual County Durham Future Business Magnates competition. The challenge is open to local schools and aims to get children applying their creativity and problem-solving skills, while gaining experience of the practical side of a business venture.
Photo courtesy Durham County Council
The competition is organised by Business Durham, the council’s business support service, with supported by sponsors and mentors from local community organisations including Co-op, Erwin Hymer, Robertson Homes, and Waterstones.
This year’s theme was ‘What a Wonderful World – Can you Make it Better?’ Students from King James I Academy developed a business called ‘Smart Weigh’ based on an eco-friendly bin able to weigh food waste. Users of the bin earn points according to how much of this waste is then recycled or composted.
Their project won the overall competition prize at an event held at Hardwick Hall.
Other tech-based initiatives include Belmont Community Schools ‘TechC’, involving a camera installed in fridges to monitor the shelf life of products stored there. This project was awarded second place overall.
Third place went to ‘ShoreSavers’, an educational package developed by a team from Framwellgate School to teach primary schoolchildren about protecting our oceans.
Cllr Joan Nicholson, Chair of Durham County Council, says: ‘The competition is in its 19th year and brings together the energy and creativity of our young people and the experience and guidance of our business community. Our young people get to show off their entrepreneurial talents by coming up with business proposals that are then judged by an expert panel of business leaders. It’s an inspirational event and a great opportunity for all involved to make valuable connections. It all serves to lay a strong foundation for the future success of County Durham’s next generation of business leaders.’
In addition to the overall winners, prizes were also awarded for a range of special categories:
Brian Manning Award for Best Use of Networks
- Winner: Wolsingham School
- Business name: Hestia Food Testing
- Product description: Testing device within food packaging to detect when food is no longer safe to consume
Best Prototype and Design and Best Business Plan
- Winner: North Durham Academy
- Business name: Hydro Flow
- Product description: Small dynamo powered by water to generate electricity
Best Logo and Slogan
- School name: Dene Academy
- Business name: Loch Net Monster
- Product description: Waste/pollution collector for use across streams or rivers to clean large rubbish, microplastics and oil from the water
Most Effective Team
- School name: Durham High School
- Business name: BioBlend
- Product description: Aerobic decomposition bin with supporting app
Most Innovative Idea
- School name: Bishop Barrington School
- Business name: Vivagreen
- Product description: Roadside ‘motor-bine’ to convert wind generated from passing vehicles into electricity
Most Investment Ready Business
- School name: St John’s Catholic School
- Business name: Naturwall
- Product description: Insulating wallpaper
Best Presentation
- School name: Belmont Community School
- Business name: Smart Home Tools and Tech
- Product description: Camera installed inside fridges to monitor shelf life of products
Most Resilient Team
- School name: Woodham Academy
- Business name: E P Water Safety
- Product description: Innovative water vacuum to remove harmful pollutants from rivers and lakes
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