April 7, 2017, by The Ingenuity Lab
Ingenuity17: Meet the Judges
With the standard of Ingenuity17 being the highest it has ever been, our judges have had one of the toughest jobs in Nottingham deciding which teams should be crowned Ingenuity17 Prize Winners.
Before we announce the winners at the Ingenuity17 Prize Giving Ceremony next week, we thought we’d introduce you to some of the judges…
Drum roll please, for Ingenuity17‘s answer to Len, Darcey and Bruno (in no particular order!)….
Mel Berry
Mel at the Ingenuity17 Conference
Mel started Very Berry in 2009 after eight successful years at Perfect Motion Sports Marketing Ltd. During that time, she transformed the business into a multi-faceted sports marketing and PR agency.
Before this, Melanie worked at Speedo International as their International Sports Marketing Manager. She managed their involvement at events including the Sydney Olympic Games.
Recent projects have included teaming female Olympians and Paralympian’s up with Boots’ Miles for Macmillan campaign (2011-2014) to get more women active; helping DFS to partner up with the British Women’s Volleyball Team in 2012 and in 2015 brokering a deal with World Champion swimmer, Adam Peaty.
How did you get involved with Ingenuity17?
I am a regular mentor at The Ingenuity Lab, and having been involved with Ingenuity16 I was really looking forward to coming back this year. Ingenuity17 is a great opportunity to gain experience from, and exposure to, mentors, peer businesses, and it’s a really positive environment.
What makes a ‘winning’ pitch?
Relax and be structured around your proposition!
Passion and a clear focus on the customer and business idea is key.
Ed Wright
Steve Chapman with Ed Wright at the Ingenuity16 Prize Giving Ceremony
Ed is currently a Partner at Shakespeare Martineau, working clients from a range of sectors (including life sciences and technology, media and telecoms) on wide-ranging non-contentious commercial, contractual, IP, ICT, e-commerce, data protection, competition and public procurement law issues.
He advises on IP creation, ownership, protection and exploitation, including technology transfers, R&D collaborations and agency, distribution/reselling and franchising arrangements.
How did you get involved with Ingenuity17?
Head of The Ingenuity Lab, Steven Chapman, originally got me involved with legal surgeries for The Ingenuity Lab on behalf of Shakespeare Martineau. The Ingenuity17 Competition provides invaluable experience for University of Nottingham students and Alumni wanting to develop or grow any business. It is also great for entrepreneurs who are seeking investment or funding as part of that growth.
What makes a ‘winning’ pitch?
Successful teams always ensure what is being pitched is a commercially viable and scalable proposition. Their business idea needs to solve a significant unresolved problem or addresses a previously unmet, significant market need.
A ‘winning’ pitch convincingly shows significant points of differentiation and/or innovation over the competition!
Dr Susan Huxtable
Dr Susan Huxtable with Director of Asia Business Centre at the Ingenuity16 Prize Giving Ceremony
Susan is currently Director of IP Commercialisation at The University Of Nottingham.
The role of the IP Commercialisation Office is to assist with identification, protection and commercial exploitation of University Intellectual Property as well as providing advice on IP-related matters.
As well as judging The Ingenuity Competition, Susan is involved with the Nottingham Ingenuity Fund and Enterprise at Nottingham.
How did you get involved with Ingenuity17?
As Director for IP Commercialisation at The University of Nottingham, I have been involved in the creation of more than 40 new ventures.
Small companies are the bedrock of the UK economy, and it is important that the University equips its students and graduates with the skill set to be successful in participating in such ventures.
What makes a ‘winning’ pitch?
Keep it simple – exhaustive detail is for the due diligence review by investors.
A good company needs good people as well as ideas – evidence of passion and commitment are important, as is keeping cool under pressure.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our other Ingenuity17 judges, Deborah Maxwell (Associate, Potter Clarkson); Professor Rob Carroll (Director, Catapult Ventures); and Tom Preece (Senior Manager, BDO) for giving their time, energy and experience to help develop some of The University of Nottingham’s most promising entrepreneurs.
The winners of the £110,000+ Ingenuity17 Prize Fund will be announced on Wednesday 12th April. Make sure you subscribe to our blog to get the lowdown on the winners after the event.
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