Entrepreneurs hope to win £3,000

Hassan Iqbal

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TWO former Oldham College students are in the running for a £3,000 business boost.

Daniel Arundel and Hassan Iqbal, who attended the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy at the college, are finalists in the Edge Challenge. They will pitch their businesses plans at a three-day Skills Show in Birmingham late this month, and the winner of the £3,000 top prize will be announced by former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis.

The pair are hoping to go one better than former Oldham College student Gavin Bell, who was second last year to win £750 to help launch his company Alba Fitness.

Hassan (19) set up the creative media agency CreativePixels. If he wins he will spend the prize on marketing.

“The opportunity to go to the Skills Show and present my business to a live audience is extraordinary,” he said. “I hope that my business plan and pitch can net me the top prize and help my business develop.”

Daniel (19) owns and runs Arundel Bakery in Greenacres and would use the winnings to introduce a new product range.

He said: “I’m so excited to get this far. Winning the top prize will give me a huge boost.”

Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones, who has several enterprise acadmies around the country, said: “Daniel and Hassan have done a superb job in getting to the final of the Edge Challenge and I’m very proud of them”

Furkan Uddin, head of the financial and professional services faculty at Oldham College, added: “Daniel and Hassan are both outstanding students who are truly deserving finalists.”