Local dragons' den big help to students (+video)

John Paul College students Te Rina West (left), 16, and Kerrianne Khau, 16, receive feedback from the judges. Photo / Ben Fraser

Local students with good ideas and a knack for business have pitched their proposals to a panel of judges as part of this year's Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme.

The annual programme allows students to set up their own company, create real products or services, compile and implement a business plan and make real profit or loss.

The Dragons' Den on Friday was one component of the Young Enterprise Scheme and allowed each student or group of students to pitch their business idea to a panel of local judges - Westpac's Steve Pinder, Mark Smith from Grow Rotorua and Ian Sinclair from Enterprise Great Lake Taupo.

Organiser Brigitte Nelson said this year's group of students was the largest they'd had, with six schools taking part in the regional competition.

Groups from Tokoroa High School, Taupo-nui-a-Tia, Rotorua Lakes High School, Western Heights High School, Rotorua Boys' High School and John Paul College took part.

Mrs Nelson said the formal environment of the Dragons' Den gave students a taste of what business was really like.

"Students have to be prepared and know what they are talking about when they stand up in front of those judges. They do the research and treat their company as a real business venture."

John Paul College students Te Rina West and Kerrianne Khau, both 16, pitched their business venture of multi-lingual colouring-in books.

"The idea of teaching a language in the form of a colouring-in book actually came to me in a dream," Te Rina said.

"Our idea was that it combines entertainment with learning.

"We've started with three languages, English, Maori and Chinese, but would love to extend that as the company takes off." Kerrianne went on to say the Dragons' Den exercise would be useful for their company's progress.

"The panel gave us really good feedback on how we could improve and we will definitely take that on board."

Students from Western Heights High School won two out of the three categories, placing first overall.

The group invented a Chinese language learning tool in the form of a card game and one of the judges commented that their presentation was the best they had seen in years.

-See rotoruadailypost.co.nz for video from the Dragons' Den event.