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Entrepreneur

Challenge

First to the top

The northwest is the last UK region to produce its shortlist for the £35m Sunday Times Bank of Scotland Corporate Entrepreneur Challenge

Carry on camping: in tents made by brainy boffins

An outdoor equipment specialist harnesses university know-how to improve its kit

The Challenge helps lonelyhearts find each other

Two finalists from last year’s Bank of Scotland Entrepreneur Challenge have teamed up

Northwest and North Wales in focus

pills and medical bottles in a laborotory

No guarantee fortune will favour the brave

Enterprises that get more funding may need to take calculated risks in a downturn

Mario Kreft

The northwest & North Wales regional finalists

Pendine Park Care Organisation | TheHut.com | ANS Group | Myprotein.co.uk | National Tyres and Autocare

Recycling sees the big picture

Getting rid of obsolete TVs presents business opportunities for a switched-on entrepreneur

New ways to make use of any old wood

From building firms to local councils, organisations dump around 8.5m tons of wood into holes in the ground

Ultimo founder, Michelle Mone

Entrepreneurship Week

Tips for budding entrepreneurs: Michelle Mone - Ultimo lingerie

Regional focus

So good for you: a Hull enterprise offers a new twist on selling used cars online

£5m a nice little earner

When the winner is selected from the five northeast finalists at an event in York on Tuesday that will leave just one more heat

The haulage industry faces a tough time during the economic slowdown

Driving a harder bargain

Businesses in the Midlands and East Anglia looking to raise finance need to be practical, be professional and be patient

Smart entrepreneurs sit tight

Taking financial risks is off the agenda in the southwest and South Wales, finds Liz Loxton

Man with Kilt Standing with Dog in Meadow

Scotland the green

Meeting the rising demand for renewable energy is a tough challenge for business

Map of London

Higher, busier, costlier ... a motto for 2012

Everything is bigger, faster and more vibrant in London - but does that help the entrepreneur?

Business drive keeps southeast in fast lane

Liz Loxton finds a region in good shape to ride out the economic downturn

James Caan

How to minimise risk

James Caan's five part series on doing business in a tough climate

Need to know

Outsourcing

Outsourcing can improve efficiency and increase flexibility, but how much of your company’s work should you hive off?

When to sell up

With so much energy required to grow a business, few entrepreneurs pay enough attention to developing the skills needed to sell it

Going global

Expanding overseas is a way to ensure your business can weather a downturn in your local market, yet it can be risky

Finding a mentor

Someone who will push you out of your comfort zone and also offer practical advice can make a significant difference to your business

Julie Diem Le, Marc Demarquette and Rob Taub

Two years and counting

Follow the trials and tribulations of three distinct start-up companies

Entrepreneur news

Jeff Sutton of Southern Metrology, Kent

Firms hammered by late payments

Companies are going bust as clients fail to come up with the cash, writes Andrew Stone

Yorkshire County Cricket Club chief executive Stewart Regan

How to handle a sticky wicket

Northeast firms have a sporting chance of growth despite the downturn

Farmer who went to market

One businessman’s growth from a few pigs to a thriving farming and retail outfit was not entirely organic

Used-car sales the cyber way

Innovation is not always about creating a better mousetrap - it can also mean rethinking the way you catch the mouse

Norwood swaps City for sun, sea and writing

Former chief executive of Evolution and Beeson Gregory has resigned from all his directorships - to move to a desert island

The upside to starting a business amid uncertainty

Make Your Mark’s resident ideas man, Shed Simove, gives his tips for helping your business to ride out the downturn

Lump sum pay-out | holiday entitlement

The tax on taking money out of a company and what are the implications of changes to the law on staff holiday

Fever-pitch bids for angels’ cash

Firms look for backing at ‘speed dating’ events with investors

Are tips wages | Doctors car costs

Can restaurant tips contribute to the minimum wage and what are the car tax rules for GPs on the move

The Entrepreneur Challenge

Entrepreneur Challenge

Bank of Scotland Corporate £25 Million Entrepreneur Challenge - Winner Matthew Riley, founder of Daisy Communications

It's not just about winning

There are many benefits to taking part in the Challenge according to entrants

North East Final

Entrepreneur Challenge

Slide Show

Entrepreneur Challenge Q&A

Peter Cullum of Towergate.

What does it take to be a winner?

We quiz Challenge judge and entrepreneur Peter Cullum

      Allan Leighton

      Downturn survival

      Tough times like these call for tough measures

      Jeff Sutton of Southern Metrology, Kent

      Late payment costs

      Companies are going bust as clients fail to settle promptly

      Fifties family sat watching tv

      The bigger picture

      TV disposal was opportunity for switched on entrepreneur

      Bank of Scotland
      Corporate £35million
      Entrepreneur Challenge

      Bank of Scotland

      Bank of Scotland
      Bank of Scotland

      On November 4 the north east regional winner was announced following a prestigious event at the National Railway Museum, York, with the other regional winners to be declared at subsequent events across the country and culminating with the announcement of the 2008 Entrepreneur Challenge national winner on December 3.

      register for news and updates

      Latest from the
      Entrepreneur
      Challenge

      Bank of Scotland

      Every application will be assigned to one of our seven regions. Our panels will choose a regional winner to go through to the national final.

      Explore the regions below:

      Bank of Scotland
      register for news and updates

      Bank of Scotland
      Corporate Entrepreneur
      Challenge 2008

      Bank of Scotland

      North East England Regional Judges

      Lorna Moran
      Lorna Moran
      Chief Executive & Founder
      Northern Recruitment Group plc
      James Farrar
      David Jackson
      Chairman and Chief Executive
      Redhall Group plc
      For more information on the Bank of Scotland Corporate £35m Challenge judges, click here