A trio of Bolton students are celebrating after winning bids of thousands of pounds to get their business ideas off the ground.
All three of the winning candidates are studying at the University of Bolton and have been awarded the cash by the Bolton Ignition Funds (BIF), which aims to help the town’s students and recent graduates turn their ambitions into reality.
The overall winner was Callum Taylor, who received £2,000 to start up his business idea, which involves re-engineering components on classic motor vehicles to make them suitable for the modern world.
He said: “I am very proud to receive the money from the BIF, it will enable me to rent a single garage in which I can use as a workshop to not only build my proof of concept, but hopefully store and assemble kits when interest is generated.”
He added: “I’m really excited to get underway and have the University and its partners to thank for the ongoing support and confidence in me.”
Runner-up Carol Grech, a student midwife and a mum-of-six, received £1,000 and aims to set up a mother and baby well-being service, called Baby Blossoms.
She said: “My passion is helping people to feel good and the prize of £1,000 will pay for my baby massage qualification and help me develop a business which offers mothers the opportunity to enjoy a positive community of interaction, engagement, and well-being for themselves and their babies.”
Another £1,000 was awarded to runner-up Eboni-Rose Williams who plans to realise her dream of producing 3D printed dental models and specially-made impression trays.
She said: “The BIF award will allow me to bring my vision into a reality and to buy high quality equipment and begin testing the necessary software.
“My goal is to one day open my own dental laboratory and the BIF has helped me begin my dental career.”
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All three entrepreneurs have been commended by university leaders.
University of Bolton enterprise co-ordinator Jane Stuart-Puttnam said: “Callum, Carol and Eboni-rose demonstrated excellent business ideas and we wish them every success for the future.
“We look forward to continuing to support each of them on their enterprise journeys.”
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