A NEW competition aimed at finding new young business talent in the Solent area has been launched.

Young Start-Up Talent (YST) is aimed at helping 16-25 year-olds with an entrepreneurial flair turn their ideas into reality.

The project was founded six years ago by public relations consultant Lorraine Nugent and Matt Turner of design and marketing agency Creative Pod, and is already a firm fixture in five other areas in the South East including Gatwick, Brighton and Hove, Kent and Croydon.

Oxford Innovation, which runs Portsmouth Technopole, Ocean Village Innovation Centre in Southampton and Fareham Innovation Centre, is the event’s main sponsor.

There are more than 85 other high-profile sponsors and supporters including Gatwick Airport, NatWest, Thales and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Sponsors have contributed to a prize fund of products and services worth £50,000 for the contest winners.

Aspiring entrepreneurs will be whittled down to shortlisted to five.

After a series of workshops and mentoring the final five will pitch their plans to a Dragons’ Den-style panel in July at the Fareham Innovation Centre, Fareham MP Suella Fernandes met Lorraine Nugent recently to give the project her support.

Suella said: "It’s a really valuable initiative, and I’m pleased to hear they are now looking to offer it across the Solent region.

"We need to nurture the next generation of young entrepreneurs, and this is a really effective practical way of providing that support." 

The MP is encouraging schools, colleges and youth groups to help with finding likely candidates to take part in the competition.

For more information on how to enter visit youngstartuptalent.co.uk.