Delivered by York-based education enterprise Time2Resources, the challenge invited student teams to reimagine the chocolate product or immersive experience of the future.
Time2Resources, founded in 2008 by education experts Helen Coupland-Smith and Carlo Mencattelli, is a leading provider of Business, Economics and IT resources to schools in the UK, the Middle East and Asia.
The organisation has recently been appointed national organiser for the UK Economics Olympiad, part of the world’s largest economics competition.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Throughout the morning, students were guided by industry specialists through masterclasses covering the global chocolate supply chain, the hospitality sector, social media marketing, charitable partnerships and sustainable business models.
Participants also explored the emerging ideas of the circular economy, including an introduction to Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics.
Armed with new insights, teams then tackled an intensive afternoon challenge demanding sharp business acumen, quantitative reasoning, creativity and teamwork.
The judging panel featured two of York’s leading industry voices: Sophie Jewett, Managing Director, York Cocoa Works; Mark Mattinson, General Manager, York Dungeons & Trustee of the Future of Taru charity.
The students pitched their creations, with Hornsea School and Language College were crowned overall winners with My Melt, a fully customisable chocolate concept.
St John Fisher Catholic High School, Harrogate, secured the runner-up position with Choctcha, an inventive blend of dark chocolate and matcha.
Speaking after the event, organisers praised the students’ ingenuity and ambition.
Challenge co-founder Carlo Mencattelli said: “The York Entrepreneurship Challenge equips young people with the skills and confidence to shape the businesses of tomorrow.
“Yorkshire talent shone today — the future looks very bright.”
Hannah Bellerby, Business Teacher at Hornsea School and Language College, said: “Our students were absolutely inspired by the incredible event that Time2Resources organised.
“From the chocolate tasting and Sophie’s passionate insights into the cocoa industry, to developing pitches and engaging in in-depth discussions with Mark and Sophie, every part flowed seamlessly.
“It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to apply their learning in the real world, and presenting their ideas to actual entrepreneurs — and even winning — made the journey from Hornsea more than worthwhile. I cannot recommend this competition highly enough and will be watching keenly for future events.”