News & Information

On Tuesday 4^th May, the Royal Agricultural College held their annual Royal Agricultural College Entrepreneurs (RACE) Dinner and Grand Idea Competition Awards. The Grand Idea Competition is held by the college to find an enterprising business idea within the student body. This years’ winner and recipient of £1000 prize money, which was sponsored by DHL Supply Chain and £1000 legal advice provided by Burges Salmon, was Charlie Hancock with his idea for Vermtek. 

 

Vermtek was established by Charlie in June 2008 whilst undertaking his degree in Rural Land Management at the RAC. Vermtek offers a pest management service for agricultural, domestic and commercial clients in the Cotswolds. In addition to this, a range of estate services are currently being developed in order to meet the needs of existing and potential clients. Charlie started the business in his first year at the College and since then has grown the business to a point where it will provide his sole income upon graduation later this year. As the winner of the Grand Idea Award, Charlie will now go forward to represent the RAC at the South West Regional Business Plan competition in November this year.

 

The runner-up in the competition was James Nightingall, with his idea for Crest Essential. James, who is in his first year at the RAC and is also the current RACE Chairman, came second with his idea for a company that designs and sells branded Wellington boots. James is looking to invest his £500 prize money into his idea and developing it further.

 

The Grand Idea competition is now in its third year and the College is looking to update the format and name of the competition before the new academic year in October. The new competition will increase its mentoring of the business ideas and support available to the entrepreneurial students who come forward during the competition. 

 

The Grand Idea Competition is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and South West RDA through the Universities South West run Knowledge Escalator project. Robin Bower, Knowledge Escalator Project Manager, said "I am delighted to see evidence of entrepreneurial flair and know-how taking root in the student body at the RAC. The Knowledge Escalator project is helping to support enterprise and innovation across participating universities in the South West and we are seeing lots of good ideas coming forward. The RAC has used the Knowledge Escalator resources to put in place a comprehensive structure that encourages and supports entrepreneurial students and staff at the College. The winners of the Grand Idea competition have clearly demonstrated how these efforts are bearing fruit."