#THEHEAT
Can you stand the HEAT of competition?
Do you have a brilliant business idea? Are you either planning to start your business or in the early stages of taking your idea to market? Then the HEAT competition could be for you. Enter this ‘Dragon’ Den’ style competition and be in with a chance of winning your share of cash and business support prizes worth over £10,000.
The Heat is a competition for the Forth Valley region, organised by Ceteris and Business Gateway Clackmannanshire with support from Business Gateway colleagues in Falkirk and Stirling. HEAT stands for Highlighting Entrepreneurship All Together.
A prize pot worth over £10,000
This year, our generous sponsors have donated prizes worth over £10,000 to share between the top 3 business ideas. The prize for first place – valued at over £6,000 – includes:
- Over £4000 worth of accountancy, IT and HR consultancy
- £500 in cash and a £400 Flexi Learning Voucher
- Discounted office rent or co-working space
- One year of Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce membership
- Free business support and coaching sessions
Previous winners have included a martial arts gym, a golf rewards app, a manufacturer of children’s furniture, a bridal wear company, a drone videographer and an inventor of magnetic post-it notes. The diversity of businesses that apply highlights how vibrant our local economy is.
Who can enter
The competition is strictly for Forth Valley businesses with less than a year of trading at the time of The HEAT final (September 2023), or entrepreneurs who have a new idea that they are hoping to develop into a successful business. THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2023. APPLY NOW!
We’d like to say a huge thank you to this year’s HEAT sponsors:
Ceteris, STEP (Scotland) Ltd, Arm in Arm Accounting, University of Stirling Management School, Forth Valley College, Gro Commerce, SV24-7 and Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce.
How does it work?
Businesses are asked to apply by completing a straightforward application form covering a few questions:
- Provide details about your amazing new idea or new business, include what makes your idea/business different?
- Who is your target market?
- If you were to win one of the top prizes how would you utilise them to enhance your business?
- Investors tend to invest in people (as well as business ideas) why should you win the prize money?
The closing date for applications is MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2023.
Criteria to enter the HEAT
- You must have an idea that you want to turn into a business or you have a recent start-up business trading for less than a year.
- Your business will be or is based in the Forth Valley area (Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire or Falkirk).
Successful entrants are then asked to the practice pitch day (essentially the semi-final) where they can meet the other entrants, gain presentation tips and get to know the Business Gateway staff. From here a Top 10 are picked to go forward into the final, to give their 3 minute pitch to our dragons!
To apply for #THEHEAT23 please complete this short application. The closing date for applications is MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2023.
The HEAT is free to enter. Prizes are non-transferable, non-exchangeable and no cash alternatives will be offered. For further information, please contact us at Business Gateway Clackmannanshire on businessgateway@ceteris.co.uk or by calling the local office on 01259 726430.
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