Enterprise challenges
A half or full day moving from a real problem to a solution, building teamwork, confidence, communication and initiative.
INTO THE SCHOOLS
TAKING BUSINESS
INTO SCHOOLS.
School sessions give more young people a chance to try business tasks, including those who have no plans to start a company.
Ideas into action
Students work out whether an idea could be useful, what it might cost and how to explain it to others.
Careers & inspiration
People share how they got into work and business, including what went wrong and what they learned.
Partner-led sessions
Local businesses explain what they do and give students a chance to learn from their experience.
WHO’S IN THE ROOM IS THE SCHOOL’S CALL.
Schools choose the students who would benefit most. Not just the top set. Some may become founders; many will take the confidence, resilience and practical thinking into employment, further study and life.
THE VENTURE PATHWAY
FOR FOUNDERS READY
TO GO FURTHER.
For a smaller group who want to start a business, we offer time, advice and practical help to test an idea and see if it can work.
SELECT
Schools and colleges nominate students. We look for effort, curiosity and an idea worth trying. Grades are not the deciding factor.
BUILD / 12 WEEKS
Work out what you are selling, who would buy it, what it costs and how to make it. Build the first product and learn to make decisions along the way.
TEST / REAL CUSTOMERS
Try it with real customers. Ask what they think, listen to the answers and make changes.
LAUNCH & GROW
If the idea works, launch it with help from D&G Consultants’ agency and the people who handle the day-to-day running of a business.
SOME WILL START A BUSINESS.
EVERYONE WILL LEARN FROM TRYING.
THE OWNERSHIP MODEL
60 / 38 / 2.
THE FOUNDER STAYS IN CONTROL.
The young founder owns most of the business. The Academy and their school or college hold smaller shares, as set out below.
THE YOUNG FOUNDER
A majority stake in the business they build, with mentoring and practical support. The model is designed to avoid personal startup funding or debt.
THE ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY
Held by the Academy, separately from D&G Consultants, in return for advice, facilities and ongoing business support. Any future value goes back into running the Academy and helping more young founders.
THE INSTITUTION
Held by the school or college that nominated the student. They stay involved and can share what the student has achieved.
FUNDING THE OPPORTUNITY
HELP THE NEXT IDEA
GET OFF THE PAGE.
The ideas are already coming. Funding gives us the time, people and practical support to keep working with students and help promising ventures take their next step.
We are seeking a £15,000-a-year lead founding partner, alongside founding partners at £5,000, business partners at £1,500 and supporters at £500 a year. Together, these contributions fund delivery, people, transport and student support. Venture production funding sits alongside that programme funding.
See what each partnership includes →FROM THE FIRST WORKSHOP / AN IDEA TO BACK
BLOSSOM.
An energy drink concept developed for women, with a focus on wellbeing.
Blossom came from the first Belvidere workshop. The student who led the team and developed the idea was later made a prefect. Now we want to explore whether her team’s idea can become a real product.
The next step is to develop the product, work with suppliers and prepare an initial production run.
FIRST PRODUCTION BUDGET£25,000
The working budget for taking Blossom towards its first production run.
A potential first venture to back, alongside the funding needed to run the Academy.
WHAT PARTNER SUPPORT MAKES POSSIBLE
A PROGRAMME.
PEOPLE TO RUN IT.
A WAY TO GET THERE.
Local businesses can help schools give young people access to people, experience and opportunities they might otherwise miss. Students gain practical skills; the business community helps develop the next generation of local talent.
SHOW UP IN SCHOOLS, REGULARLY
Monthly school visits bring together enterprise workshops, guest speakers, group challenges and time to develop and pitch ideas.
PAY FOR THE PEOPLE AND THEIR TIME
Preparation, delivery, student support and coordination all take work. Funding covers paid delivery time and fair salaries where needed, alongside guest expenses and travel. Volunteers and business guests can contribute, but the programme cannot depend entirely on unpaid work.
HELP STUDENTS GET THERE
Transport and travel support help students reach sessions, visits and opportunities beyond their own classroom.
GIVE STUDENTS MORE ROOM TO BUILD
Infrastructure support at D&G HQ expands student workspace and equipment around the agency, studio and fulfilment operation already in place.
REINVESTING IN THE PROGRAMME
PUT IT BACK INTO
THE NEXT GENERATION.
Our not-for-profit model puts surplus back into delivering the programme and supporting future cohorts. Paying for the people and resources that make it work is part of that purpose.
Over time, value from the Academy’s stakes in successful student ventures could help fund more opportunities. That income would belong to the Academy and support its mission. Partner support funds delivery today; venture returns can help sustain it over time.
LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT↓STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES↓POTENTIAL VENTURE RETURNS↓MORE STUDENTS.
MORE CHANCES.
MORE CHANCES.