One month to go until Apprentice Vs Dragons' Den final!

Article summary: The competing groups are currently working hard to finish their video projects, which will give their team a chance to secure a place in the final next month.

The countdown begins for the Apprentice Vs Dragons' Den final 2023 which will be taking place on Thursday 9th February, as National Apprenticeship Week draws to a close.

Participants have been given the brief of creating a product that solves one of modern life’s challenges. The teams are currently in the process of producing a video presentation which outlines the following:
• Concept – justifying the selected challenge their product aims to resolve
• Design – describing the unique selling point/s and where any inspiration was taken
• Production – considering the materials used in the manufacturing process and their sustainability
• Business plan – how the product can be applied and succeed in the commercial world, including target audience, marketing strategy and projected figures.

Once the videos have been submitted and judged, 5 teams will be shortlisted at the end of January to compete in the final, where they will present their product to a panel of ‘Dragons’, consisting of business leaders and influential figures from the Solent area.

There will be 5 awards up for grabs on the night for the following categories, leading up to the overall winner:

• Best Business Plan
• Most Original Concept
• Best Presentation
• Best Design
• Overall Apprentice Vs Dragons’ Den Winner

Last year’s winning team was made up of Luke Meaden, Simon Lloyd, Tom Barham and Sophie Keefe, from Horndean Technology College, whose product was an app which tracks the carbon emission levels of all the user’s day-to-day activities.

Upon winning, the team said: “Our maths teacher told us about it in class around September time and we thought we’d register for it, why not. The first few weeks were very hard trying to think of something, we thought something along the lines of the environment, but we didn’t know what.

We were lucky because each aspect linked to what our strengths are, so we were quite lucky with our group and with how it all panned out.”

This year’s shortlist will be coming soon. To be the first to know, keep an eye out on the PETA website and social media pages.