#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 thousands of pounds worth of cash and business support prizes .
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.
Who can enter
The competition is strictly for Forth Valley businesses with less than two years of trading at the time of The HEAT final (September 2024), or entrepreneurs who have a new idea that they are hoping to develop into a successful business.
All you need to do to enter is to complete a simple application form outlining your idea, who the target market is for your product or service and why you should win the competition. That’s it!
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED. GOOD LUCK TO THIS YEAR’S FINALISTS. (THE CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS WAS MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2024).
An incredible prize pot!
We’d like to say a big thank you to construction firm, Robertson for sponsoring the HEAT 2024 competition. Plus a range of local businesses have also donated prizes to share between the top 3 business ideas. These include:
- Cash prize from Robertson for the winning entry
- Over £4000 worth of IT and HR consultancy from STEP
- Nearly £2000 worth of accountancy support from Arm in Arm Accounting
- Nearly £1000 of learning vouchers and free access to co-working and meeting room space from Ceteris
- Cash and learning vouchers from Forth Valley College and the University of Stirling
- A year of membership from Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce
Previous winners have included an artisan ice cream parlour, a martial arts gym, a golf rewards app, a drone videographer and an inventor of magnetic post-it notes. The diversity of businesses that apply highlights how vibrant our Forth Valley economy is.
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, and Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce.
How does it work?
You can apply by completing a straightforward application form covering a few questions. Once your application form is in, a panel of experts will assess each submission. Then its on to the next round where you’ll have the chance to pitch your ideas in person.
The key dates for your diary:
- Tuesday 10th September practice PITCH EVENT
- Tuesday 17th September, THE HEAT FINAL!
- Friday 20th September, PRIZE GIVING at Forth Valley Business Week closing event
The closing date for applications is MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2024. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
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 two years by September 2024.
- 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 #THEHEAT24 please complete this short application. The closing date for applications is MONDAY 26 AUGUST 2024. APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.
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.
Share on social media using #THEHEAT24.
