● The Perse School, Cambridge · 2026/27
The winning team takes
in cash, and the Dr Perse Innovation Award.
Have the idea.Then make the case.
A school-organised competition to build the habits of entrepreneurial thinking. Work alone or in a team of up to three: invent an original business idea, write up the model, and if you make the top ten, pitch it to a panel of judges.
- Pilot event
- 21 SepLecture Theatre, 13:15
- The finals
- 20 NovThe PAC, after school
- Winner’s prize
- £1,000Cash, to the winning team
- Open to
- Years 7–13Alone or teams of 3
01 — About
Two rounds, one idea.
The Dr Perse Innovation Award is a school‑organised competition designed to build the thinking and habits that entrepreneurs actually use. You can enter on your own or in a team of up to three.
Round one is written. You invent an original business idea and set out the model in an essay or document. Every entry is marked against the same scheme — creativity, feasibility, profitability — and the top ten go through.
Round two is spoken. Those ten teams pitch to a panel of judges, with slides if they want them. The panel picks the winner on the quality of the pitch and the potential of the idea behind it.
Two masterclasses sit either side of round one, and there are refreshments at every event.
02 — Format
How it runs.
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Mon 21 SepPilot
Pilot event — Lecture Theatre, 13:15
The whole competition explained in about ten minutes: the format, the rules, the judging matrix and its categories. Sign up on the way in, or bring a team and register on the spot. Pizza, doughnuts and refreshments; sweets for anyone who asks a question.
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Masterclass 1Open to all
How to build the idea
Forty‑five minutes in the Lecture Theatre during school: thirty presenting, fifteen answering questions round the room. Popcorn provided. Sign‑up only. Date to be confirmed.
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Round 1Written
Your business idea, written up
An original idea with the model set out in an essay or document. Marked against creativity, feasibility and profitability. The top ten teams go through to the finals.
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Masterclass 2Finalists only
How to pitch it
Same format, same room, for the ten teams through to round two. Date to be confirmed.
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Fri 20 NovFinals
Round 2 — the pitch, in the PAC
Five minutes to present, five minutes of questions, in front of the judges and an audience. Slides optional. Full running order on the schedule.
03 — Judging
What gets marked.
Two rounds, two different questions. Round one filters for strong ideas; round two rewards the teams who can sell them, so the pitch is weighted more heavily than the idea. The judges all have professional experience in business, they confer before deciding, and their decisions are final.
Round 1 — the written proposal
- Creativity
Is the idea genuinely original? Copying an existing company, or another team, is a disqualification rather than a low mark.
- Feasibility
Could it actually be built and run?
- Profitability
Who pays, how much, and what does it cost to serve them? Cite your data.
Round 2 — the pitch, out of 50
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15
Delivery and stage presence
Vocal projection and variety, eye contact and audience engagement, confidence and energy, command of the room, body language.
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10
Clarity and structure
Does the pitch have a logical flow and a clear message?
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10
Quality of the business idea
Can you convince the judges it has investment potential? Persuasive, well thought out, and visibly researched.
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10
Q&A response
Answers that are appropriate, convincing and relevant. Five minutes of questions follows every pitch — prepare for them.
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5
Visual aids and timing
Helpful diagrams, a professional deck used well, and keeping to time without rushing or dragging.
Afterwards
The panel line‑up and the finals logistics are released closer to the date. Feedback and mark breakdowns follow after the event. Scoring queries go to jiescalantephilips@perse.co.uk.
04 — Documents
Rules & guidance.
The full rules and the mark scheme live in the Dr Perse Innovation Award folder on SharePoint. Everything below points there or summarises it.
05 — Prizes
£1,000 to the winner.
Winner — £1,000 cash
The Dr Perse Innovation Award
One thousand pounds to the winning team or individual, decided by the panel at the finals on the quality of the pitch and the potential of the idea behind it.
Second place
To be confirmed
A second‑place prize is planned but not yet settled. It will be announced before the finals.
Third place
To be confirmed
Same again — confirmed and announced closer to the date.
Where the money comes from
The prize, the food and the refreshments are all covered by our sponsors — Adder Technology, Vindis Group and Parry & Parry. None of them has any say in the judging.
Refreshments
There is food at every event: pizza and doughnuts at the pilot, popcorn at both masterclasses, and refreshments at the finals. Note any allergies or dietary requirements when you sign up and we will sort it.
● Sponsors
Made possible by.
- Adder Technology
- Vindis Group
- Parry & Parry
Their sponsorship covers the £1,000 prize, the food and the refreshments. None of them has any influence over the judging.
07 — Partnership
Thank you.
We extend the utmost appreciation to Adder Technology, Vindis Group and Parry & Parry for their keen interest in our vision. Their sponsorship has covered the cost of refreshments, food and the prize awarded to the winning team.
Our thanks also to the people giving their time to run the two masterclasses. Names to be added.
Where this is going
The Award was envisioned to be as accessible to as many people as possible. In the years ahead we hope to open it up regionally and then nationally, so students from any background and any school can take part.
Pilot event — Monday 21 September, 13:15
Enter the Award.
Sign up with the form, or just come to the pilot event on 21 September and register your team on the door.