News

LSST announces Dragons’ Den event winners

Kunal Chan Mehta

By Kunal Chan Mehta | Article Date: 18 May 2017

LSST

LSST’s students, famed for their firm and fair competitive stance, showcased their astounding creativity skills at LSST’s second Dragons’ Den themed event.


Photo source: LSST London
Event date: Fri 12 May 2017

Four Dragon panel experts hosted the event at the LSST London Campus on Friday 12 May to judge a group of anticipative students who pitched their business with a view to securing some or all of the £1000 development fund set up by the CEO of LSST – Mr Syed Zaidi.

During their 15 minute presentation students contended to convince the panel of the soundness of their plan by providing details of their idea, costings, sales projections and sustainability.

The event provided students with valuable feedback from panel members on the viability of their business proposals. Students were also given tips on how to progress with their proposals in the immediate future.

This semester, four students presented their proposed business ideas to the college:

Ibrahim Sule, FdSc Computing and Business Information Technology,(Y1) – Photography Services
Jaqueline Lewis, BA (Hons) Business Studies, (Final Year)
– Crystal Nails Salon
Peter Varga, BSc (Hons) Computing and Information Systems, (Final Year)
– Harmony Relaxation Systems and Salon
Ashley Barnes, HND in Computing and Systems Development, (Y1)
– Organic Gold C.I.C Cultural Charity

LSST

Each presentation reflected on what the students have learnt whilst studying at LSST. Following the event, students had a stronger idea of what would be expected of themselves when approaching banks, backers and other professionals. Students also appreciated the feedback and advice provided by the Dragons.

Three prizes were given to provide the students with funds to support and operate their businesses and organisations:

The top prize of £550.00 went to Peter Varga – Harmony Relaxation Systems and Salon

The second prize of £300.00 went to Ashley Barnes – Organic Gold C.I.C Cultural Charity

The third prize of £150.00 went to Ibrahim Sule – Photography Services

Dr George Panagiotou, LSST’s Principal and Head of Quality, who supported the event, said: ‘My congratulations to Peter, Ashley, Ibrahim and Jaqueline for their excellent presentations and performance at this semester’s Dragons’ Den event. I am delighted to learn that the winners will use the money towards marketing and improving their business ideas. It was a successful event and represents how LSST does its utmost, not only to educate students, but to help them progress further in their endeavours and future plans and progression.’

John White, LSST’s Work Placement Coordinator, said: ‘My appreciation and thanks to the students who took part in this successful event, the staff Dragons and students who attended the event. I extend my thanks to the Principal for his kind support and to Mr Zaidi, our CEO, for kindly providing the development fund.’

First-prize winner, Peter Varga, who presented on Harmony Relaxation Systems and Salon said: ‘I wish to thank everyone at LSST for supporting me and at last I now feel comfortable and confident enough to now market and run my business idea in the UK. I can soon be an entrepreneur and a proper project manager in my own start-up company. I hope I can attend the next Dragons’ Den in the future as a dragon. LSST has really changed my life around.’ Peter has now co-founded his company called Harmonic Synesthesia Limited focusing on what helps people find inner calmness by ‘hearing colours, seeing scents and smelling sounds’.

Dawn Calderwood, one of the Dragons and also a LSST Business Lecturer, said: ‘Congratulations to all the students who participated in the competition. The ideas, talents and innovative approaches have demonstrated the thirst and passion for knowledge and learning within LSST. Selecting a winner was a very difficult, every presentation brought a new spark of inspiration and creativity matched to fantastic entrepreneurial desire. I cannot wait to see the future of these students developing their businesses.’

Jonathan Green, also one of the Dragons and LSST’s motivational speaker and student support coordinator, said: ‘It was great to see our entrepreneurs coming forward to present their businesses. All of the Dragons were blown away by the students and their confidence in presenting pioneering visions and plans. There could only be one winner in this competition – but for me each candidate has the capabilities to be equally successful in the future.’

Note from the Deputy CEO:

I send my warmest congratulations and thanks to Peter Varga, Ashley Barnes, Ibrahim Sule and Jacqueline Lewis for taking time out of their busy schedules to inspire and add so much value to LSST’s student body. You have done a great deal to further motivate not only yourselves but others too. I also thank all the staff and, in particular, the Dragons.

I personally encourage the participating students to use this opportunity to become beacons of the LSST student army and to keep us updated of your success and future developments. I also encourage you to continue to share your ideas with other students across our campuses.

I thoroughly look forward the third Dragons’ Den themed event.

Mohammed Zaidi, Deputy CEO, LSST


Please visit Peter Varga’s website: http://www.harmonylightbox.co.uk/


Please email the author of this article kunal.mehta@lsst.ac for any questions or comments.



Top