Enterprise and innovation were in the spotlight at the recent final of Design Your Future, the University of Liverpool’s flagship entrepreneurship competition for students and graduates.
Now in its fourth year, the ten-week DYF programme from the Careers and Employability team culminated in a live pitching event at Scale Liverpool, where nine pitches from our exceptional student and graduate entrepreneurs competed for the top prizes.
Backed by Santander UK and supported by local entrepreneurs and industry experts, DYF offers development coaching, expert business guidance, and the exciting opportunity to win funding to kickstart innovative projects and business ventures.
The finalists delivered outstanding pitches that truly impressed the judges, making it no easy task to select the top three. While only a handful could claim the top prizes, the overall standard was exceptionally high, showcasing the incredible talent within our student and graduate community.
Huge congratulations to:
🏆 1st Place; Enlli Davies with her Tatfolio business idea
🥈 2nd Place; Caitlin Lewing & Martin Mach from Girls On The Go
🥉 3rd Place; Michał Szachniewicz & Leon Hodgson with Hustle Health Bars
Six runners-up on the night were also awarded £500 in seed funding to help grow their business ideas further. Another standout moment of the evening was the announcement of our Enterprise Fund winners, and it was fantastic to see each of them take to the stage to accept their awards.
Alison Pountney from Careers and Employability said: “Congratulations to all the finalists for their hard work, passion and entrepreneurial spirit—and especially to our winners, who truly stood out in an incredibly competitive field. Your journeys are just beginning, and we can’t wait to see what you do next.”
Do you have a business idea?
If you are looking to start a new enterprise or build entrepreneurial skills, there is lots of support available to you.
Visit the Careers and Employability website to find out more about what enterprise is, how to set up a business or pitch an idea, and hear from inspiring speakers at our enterprise programmes and careers events.