It’s that time of year again when Sheffield comes alive with young entrepreneurs taking part in the BiG Challenge.
The annual enterprise competition, open to Y7-Y9 students and facilitated through Sheffield City Council’s See It Be It in Sheffield Team, supports students from participating schools to come up with a business idea, receive a £25 start-up loan, take their idea to market then tell us how they got on. In addition to support from their teachers and home support networks, teams are mentored by volunteers from the Sheffield business community. You can keep up with the progress of the teams on the BiG Challenge website: www.sheffield.gov.uk/bigchallenge.
This flagship initiative has been going for 18 years and annually sees young people and adults coming together to share ideas and tips resulting some amazing business ideas and potential for long term aspirations – just ask our recent unLtd Business Breakfast panel member, Stevan Parkin, who took part in this BiG Challenge in his younger years and attests to his experience being the spark of his entrepreneurialism.
In December, The BiG Challenge revealed the winners of their Interim Marketing Competition, which included our very own award for The Best Ad, as judged by unLTD Director Phil Turner and me, your friendly local journo, Ash Birch. From a field of 15, Phil Turner and I selected the two ads featured here as the winning entries.
Both teams were from Sheffield High School and they claimed the top spots with well thought-out yet simple messaging, clear designs and one of the teams also made a smart move by including a QR code.
With nearly 600 students entering from across 17 schools in the city, competition is high and it was great to hear from some of the teams who progressed their BiG Challenge journey across a number of years. Mal (pictured) from Lotus Academy entered in Y7, winning the overall BiG Challenge award. He has continued to enter each year since and his progress as an entrepreneur is truly inspiring.
At the Interim Awards event in December, we heard how Mal’s images have been used for both Sheffield City Council leaders Cllr Tom Hunt and Kate Josephs CB annual 2023 Christmas card and featured in SCCCC 2025 Charity Calendar, a selection of his prints are now being stocked in a Meadowhall outlet, and how he’s partnered with Ben’s Centre to donate a portion of profits to the local charity supporting vulnerable people. Check out his Instagram account @TorchedViews.
We can safely report that there’s some incredible talent being nurtured and definitely some future entrepreneurs. But don’t take our word for it. If you want to see first-hand some of the amazing teams in action, please do come along to the Moor Market BiG Challenge Extravaganza event on Saturday 1st February, 10.30-2.30, where over 35 teams will be in attendance selling their handmade products.
