Press Releases

November 17 2008

Teen entrepreneurs to solve MCFC business challenge

Manchester City Football Club is challenging students from three east Manchester schools to create a business strategy which will enhance the match day experience for fans, as part of an enterprise competition which aims to develop young people’s business skills.

This real life business challenge has been developed by MCFC in partnership with Urban Regeneration Company New East Manchester. The competition, known as the ‘MentorPrize’, will take place on 19 November, during national Enterprise Week 17 – 23 November 08 and involves students at St Peter’s RC High School, Cedar Mount High School and Wright Robinson Specialist College in Gorton. The challenge aims to grow young people’s problem solving ability, develop their creativity and resourcefulness and build on their financial and business skills.

MentorPrize is part of the EnterPrize Awards Scheme, which rewards east Manchester’s most promising companies and seeks to encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and ambition from an early age.

Teams of 14 and 15-years-olds from each school will be paired with a business mentor who runs a company in east Manchester. Each mentor and their team of pupils will work together to solve this real life business challenge facing Manchester City Football Club. The 54 students and 18 business mentors involved in the competition will design, create and market their solution and then pitch it to a panel of judges.

Manchester City Football Club will use the winning team’s idea to enhance the match day experience for fans and the chosen team will be given a free stand at New East Manchester’s EnterPrize Awards Ceremony on 9 December. This is their chance to exhibit their successful solution to venture capitalists and other investors. They will also receive a bespoke ‘MentorPrize’ Manchester City football shirt signed by the team and an iPod shuffle.

Eddie Smith, New East Manchester’s Chief Executive said:“MentorPrize is all about encouraging young people to have ideas and make them happen. We want to inspire local kids by bringing in real business people from the area who will act as strong, exciting role models. Our aim is to help young people in east Manchester believe in themselves and their own business ideas. By setting them a live challenge facing a Premiership football club and letting them showcase their ideas to investors, we’re hoping to develop an enterprising culture within local secondary schools.”

The application deadline for the EnterPrize Award is 21 November. Applications can be submitted online at http://www.thenementerprize.co.uk/