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Angels Den’s Speedpitching gets students off to a flying start
When the time comes to start making important decisions about which career path to take, many teenagers will follow the safer route of higher education and a graduate career. However, how many students manage to get funding for a serious business venture at the same time as taking their exams?
Two 17 year olds, in the midst of AS levels at Verulam school in St. Albans, realised that their project for ‘Young Enterprise’ really had potential. With the help of Angels Den Speedpitching event, Tristan Augier and Tom Perry saw have turned their student project into a real live business.
Speedpitching is a revolutionary networking event designed to enable entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas on a one-to-one basis to a number of interested Business Angels in one evening.
Tristan and Tom entered the ‘Young Enterprise’ scheme with high hopes of producing more than the average cake sale. With the business idea of creating a concert promoter and event organiser in one, Static Productions was born. Their first club night was a huge success with a total of 500 people attending and it was this support that gave them the courage to develop their business venture further.
Attending Angels Den’s Speedpitching event was the first time Tristan and Tom had ever pitched their idea. And what a success it was, receiving an investment of £45,000, with money in the bank just 4 weeks after their first ever pitch. The deal came with a further option for more investment after their first concert as Static Productions Ltd, along with business advice and guidance from a silent partner and mentor.
Tristan, Co-owner of Static Productions Ltd said: “With us both being 17 it has been an up hill struggle, but we just took any knock backs on the chin and kept going regardless. The 'Speedpitching' event was the first ever time we had pitched our idea or been to anything like Angels Den. Actually meeting the people from Angels Den was great and more importantly, receiving funding has allowed us to move forward by giving us the ability to put deposits down as we know where the money is now coming from.”
Talking about the evening’s event, Fiona Ryder, Speedpitching expert added: “The atmosphere in the room was electric, and entrepreneurs pitched fervently to the investors. There was an amazing group of business angels present and a wide variety of entrepreneurs and business ideas. Tristan and Tom were so enthusiastic and this is what the investors loved.”
Lois Cook from Angels Den said: “Many great businesses interested Angels at the May Speedfunding event, but the most warmth and respect was for the brave students who were less than half the age of most of the people there. They were quick to secure promises of investment and we’re eagerly anticipating them taking their business from strength to strength.”
Static Productions Ltd plans to put their next concert on at The 02 with a famous Hip Hop Star from the US, Stepping into 2009, Tristan and Tom have their eyes set on putting on larger and more frequent concerts.
Speedpitching is available to Entrepreneurs and Business Angels who are registered with Angels Den. For further information visit www.angelsden.co.uk.
ENDS
For further information contact either Charlotte Jones or Kathryn Renshaw on 0845 090 0171 or email kathryn.renshaw@pazang.co.uk
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