Blueprint on the trawl for talent and enterprise.

Byline: Iain Laing

THE hunt for the brightest business ideas to come out of North East universities has began once again.

The North East Universities Business Planning Competition, Blueprint 2009, has been launched to unearth and develop the sharpest business plans from graduates, students, alumni and staff of the region's five universities.

Each university holds its own competition and the winners of each go through to the regional awards with the chance of winning large cash prizes and valuable in-kind support to help turn their business ideas into reality.

The competition, launched in 2003, has seen over 163 businesses set up from over 1000 business plans submitted and Blueprint's legacy has helped create nearly 300 jobs.

Co-founder of Blueprint, Prof Brian Tanner from the North East Centre for Scientific Enterprise (NECSE) said: "Despite the recession we still must celebrate and grow our entrepreneurial activity to secure the future success of our region.

"It is vitally important that business people in the region once again get behind the Blueprint competition to unlock the untapped talent in our universities".

" Blueprint helps innovators to stay in the region as the finalists work with the very best business advisers to develop their companies, strengthening the local economy and the North East's reputation as one of the most supportive of innovative new business areas in the UK." The organisers of Blueprint, which is backed by nebusiness, are calling for more sponsors and have called on companies to come forward to offer at least pounds 1,000 in either investment or support to back the winners.

Regional development agency One North East is the main sponsor and other backers include Dickinson Dees,

NET Park, The Entrepreneurs' Forum, Musa Fine Art, Finance Tree, North Star Equity Investors, Marks and Clerk, RTC North, Entrust, The Journal, Ward Hadaway and AlphaGraphics.

Judges will consider the pitches and business plans in three categories; the Blueprint Business Awards, Creativity and Design Awards and Science and Technology Awards before the final in October.

One North East head of business, enterprise and skills, Tim Pain, said: "These challenging economic times highlight even more the importance of developing a more enterprising culture among our graduates.

"Harnessing and celebrating their skills and drive can only help to create more new businesses and provide the enterprise skills that modern business requires." Entrepreneurs' Forum board member Sir Peter Vardy said: "The Blueprint competition is a fantastic way for businesses and entrants alike to share knowledge and gain advice on achieving business success.

"Blueprint has already proven to be one of the most successful initiatives for generating future business and economic activity across the North East and it is more important now than ever that the business community in the region show their support to it." .. For more details contact Jill Flowers on [phone]..

CAPTION(S):

SNACK IDEA Gavin Blowman, left, and Fabian Pohl, of Chooba Ltd, were Creativity and Design winners in 2008. CO-FOUNDER Prof Brian Tanner.