Next-Gen Entrepreneurs Challenge

Students pitching at the 100 day challenge

Teams of 3 to 6 students

Teams must create a business plan

Final on Monday 22 March 2027

Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) is looking for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Do your students have what it takes to come up with a business idea and put together a plan in the time limit? Form a team to represent your school or college, and put your students’ creativity, business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills to the test!

Enter a team

Complete this short form to enter teams from your school or college.

You can enter two teams per school. There is a waitlist if schools want to add extra teams.

Entries close: Tuesday 27 October

A team discussing their business plan with an event guest — Students exhibiting their business plan

The challenge

Students compete in teams of up to six.

They must come up with a business plan based on their entrepreneurial idea to address a UN Sustainable Development Goal.

At the final on 22 March 2027, the teams will present their business plan in two forms:

A poster
A short presentation of 5 to 10 minutes delivered to our Entrepreneurs in Residence.

To compete and win one of our prizes, all teams must attend Lancaster University to deliver their presentation on 22 March 2027.

It’s a whole other level of real experience for the students. The emphasis on entrepreneurship makes the whole experience really inclusive, it’s great. It promotes entrepreneurship as sitting alongside all industries, we’ve got engineers with us alongside business students.

A quote from Scott Lumley Blackburn College

Mentoring

Students will receive mentoring support from one of Lancaster University’s Entrepreneurs in Residence. An entrepreneur from our network will meet up with them virtually to discuss their ideas and help them develop.