Young Innovators from Tresham College Pitch Winning AI Business Idea at Enterprise Competition Final

Business and Accounting students from Tresham College, part of The Bedford College Group, have been putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test.

This was part of an enterprise competition delivered in partnership with Moulton College and supported by local business leaders from the North Northants Business Network (NNBN).

All students studying Business and Accounting at Tresham College were given the opportunity to take part in the programme, working individually or in groups to develop innovative ideas and explore what it takes to become future entrepreneurs.

Throughout the academic year, students took part in the programme as part of their enrichment activities, designing and developing their own product or service concepts while researching commercial viability, branding, marketing plans and financial forecasts. Participants also presented their progress at the end of each term as part of the development process.

The overall winners were Tresham College Year 1 BTEC Business students, Gio and Milo, whose AI web-design tool impressed judges during the final pitch event.

Competition winner, Gio, said:

“Milo and I both feel honoured to have won the 2026 Trailblazers competition, and the prize money will be invested into our project to help expand and improve it for customers.”

Natalie Alders, Programme Manager for Business, added:

“We are thrilled to be hosting another college for such an exciting event alongside Moulton College and Simon Cox from North Northants Business Network. The scope for the students is very broad, to come up with unique ideas that solve issues they have identified.

“The competition gives students the opportunity to develop real-world business skills, build confidence and gain valuable experience in presenting and developing their ideas. The £250 prize also provides an investment opportunity to help students take their business ideas forward.”

The competition was supported by Simon Cox, Co-Founder of NNBN and Head of Policy at Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce, alongside local entrepreneurs from across the NNBN network.

Simon commented:

“I’ve managed and run multiple small businesses throughout my career and have worked closely with policymakers to champion small business issues. I love coming into colleges and engaging with students to help guide them through the first stages of business development by reviewing their plans and ideas.

“The business world can be complex, so it’s incredibly rewarding to see students learning how to pitch, develop and refine their ideas.”

The programme aims to encourage innovation, entrepreneurship and business skills among young people while helping students gain insight into the realities of launching and developing a business.

Find out more

To find out more about Tresham College, visit: https://bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk/subjects/business-management/