STUDENT entrepreneurs in Chester are in with the chance of winning a boost towards creating a start-up business.

Patent and trade mark experts at Forresters are backing The Venture Pitch 2021 programme at the University of Chester.

Forresters will give a talk to students about the importance of protecting intellectual property.

They are also sponsoring an award, which will give entrepreneurs a boost towards creating a start-up business.

Last year’s winner of the Forresters Award was Jacob Trainer, who received an iPad Pro to help with his business My Uni Life.

“Since winning the Forresters Award last year My Uni Life has really taken off,” said Jacob. “The pandemic has thrown a few obstacles in our way, but we now have five locations in Chester where we can teach students cooking skills. We’ve also secured some office space, so we will soon have a base for the business.

“The iPad Pro has been brilliant for helping to get My Uni Life up and running, as it has so many different uses. Forresters also enabled me to do a course with Apple, which looked at how to use the iPad Pro’s unique features. The prize has been a massive help and will continue to be as My Uni Life carries on growing.”

During the two-day Venture Pitch event this summer, University of Chester students with a new business or a business idea will have the chance to hear from and meet entrepreneurs, mentors, industry experts and business consultants.

They will be able to get prepared for the next year, pitch for their share of £5,000 and win business support prizes.

Kate Cruse, who is a partner at Forresters and based in its Liverpool office, has been giving talks to students at the University of Chester for the last seven years and this is the third time Forresters has sponsored an award.

“We are proud to be involved in The Venture Pitch, which last year was held remotely due to restrictions surrounding Covid-19,” said Kate. “One of the highlights of the programme for me is the chance to meet astute and business savvy students from around the world. Often they base their business idea on personal experience, and it’s interesting to hear about the problems they are trying to solve and the gaps in the market that they’ve spotted.

“The Venture Pitch 2021 is a really positive event, which helps to give a boost to those students that are starting a business, or want to pursue a freelance career. It is essential that start-up companies secure their intellectual property, especially when it comes to branding, and so I’m pleased I get the chance to speak to students about the importance of this.”

Kirsty Badrock, entrepreneurship co-ordinator at the University of Chester, said: “Forresters IP has supported our Venture Programme for a number of years, providing valuable advice on trade marks; what a trade mark is, how to register a trade mark and how our aspiring student and graduate entrepreneurs can protect their brand.

“We look forward to Kate’s session every year where we have insight into recent cases and receive the most up-to-date information. The session acts as a springboard for students to progress their business ideas and we are very grateful to Forresters for extending their support even further by generously offering a £200 cash prize and trade mark consultancy to a finalist of our annual Venture Pitch event, which takes place in June.”