Could you win £20,000?

Young entrepreneurs have been urged to submit their ideas to win a £20,000 prize from one of the UK’s fastest growing accountancy firms.

Baldwins Accountants, who have an office in Welshpool,  launched the Baldwins KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards in 2013 and committed to giving away £10,000 worth of funding and £10,000 of mentoring to the winners for the next ten years.

The two runners-up will also be presented with £5,000 of mentoring and accounting advice in the annual competition which encourages young entrepreneurs, aged 18-25, to take their first steps in the business world.

This year’s entries will close on Thursday, August 31, and young entrepreneurs are invited to complete the registration form at www.baldwinsaccountants.co.uk/kickstart.

Ten businesses will then be shortlisted and invited to meet an interview panel made-up of the senior management team from Baldwins Accountants, which has offices across the UK including Bridge Street, Llanfyllin, and High Street, Welshpool.

The three finalists will be invited to pitch their business to an invited audience of over 450 businessmen and women at a gala dinner. The event will take place at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club for the second successive year. on Thursday, November 16.

This year marks the first time the competition has expanded across the UK after its success in the Midlands as the Baldwins Accountancy Group grows at a rapid rate.

Entries have got off to a great start with a wide range of different business ideas coming through.

David Baldwin, director at Baldwins Accountants, said the standard of the entries for Baldwins KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards 2017 has been as high as ever.

He said: “This is a great opportunity for young entrepreneurs to make their mark in a competitive business world.

“The competition aims to encourage those aged between 18 and 25 to submit business ideas which are still in the planning stage or for start-up businesses who have been trading since August 31 last year.

“The whole focus of the competition is to encourage entrepreneurial spirit and give a helping hand to ambitious young people as well as nurturing their talent by providing mentoring and financial advice which can often make the difference between success and failure.

“The competition continues to be a major success and we are still helping businesses from our first year which underlines that they are growing and we take a great deal of pride in playing a part in their achievements.”  

Applications for the Baldwins KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards 2017 remain open for 18-25-year-olds until August 31 at  www.baldwinsaccountants.co.uk/kickstart.

Caption: David Baldwin speaking at the Baldwins KickStart Young Entrepreneur Awards 2016