Semi-Finalists, Red Button Design Final 10 HSBC Unipreneurs!

James and I spent 3 1/2 hours on Tuesday in HSBC tower, Canary Wharf, London pitching to 6 Judges as one of the final 10 entrants in HSBC's £20,000 Unipreneurs Competition.

Admittedly we forwent sleep the prior night to develop a range of printed leaflets and brocures and spent a total of 13 3/4 hours travelling to and from the interview with london traffic so bad I had to get changed in the back of a black cab!

Nevertheless I think we did brilliantly and we will be rolling out some new branding to the website and this blog throughout the lifespan of the competition.

We will find out shortly if we cut it at Canary Wharf and will get through to the final 5 to pitch to an audience of 200 Business Individuals in London's BAFTA Theatre for the £20,000 prize.
Until then, keep your limbs crossed for us!

The judges were:

Lorna Collins, Director, Flying Start, NCGE;
James Murray-Wells, MD, Glasses Direct;
Huw Morgan, Head of Business Banking, HSBC;
Emma Crosby, Presenter, Sky News;
Jenny Little, Enterprise Editor, Financial Mail on Sunday;
Prof. Robert Blackburn, Director, Small Business Research Centre, Kingston University.

Images from the day.

Quoted Online at 10 Downing Street.

I have discovered the transcript of the India-UK business summit held in Delhi on the '10 Downing Street' website for anyone interested in my contribution (or Brown or Branson's for that matter) to the entrepreneurship debate . It isn't entirely accurate but then that's written transcripts of verbal discussions for you. Please note, almost everytime it says "IT" It should read "IP" we were actually discussing Intellectual Property rights.
India-UK Business Summit

I was somewhat pleased to notice I am not just quoted as a generic 'Panel Member' but 'Amanda Jones' !

Support for ROSS in India

I caught this article from Scotland on Sunday and despite the title (which at first concerned me!) it is worth a read, certainly raised a smile at RBD-HQ. Nice to have the continued support of the media.

A wasted passage to India, Michelle Rodgers, Scotland on Sunday

A few *more* photos from the road

I have added a new album:
More Images from the Road

(the first album is here incase you missed it)

Red Button Design's Starter for 6.

Following my interview for the NESTA "Starter for 6" Programme I am very excited to hear I have been offered a place. To find out more about this brilliant scheme and what it will do for me and Red Button Design have a look at their website.

NESTA Starter for 6

A few from the road.. Images of India

I have uploaded a very small selection of the pictures we have been taking (I think 15 or so). They are publically avaliable on the link below. They range from Branson and Brown in the riches corners of Delhi to the poorest Meo villagers in Mewat.

Captions to come in time but I doubt you'll need help distinguishing. Meanwhile I am hindered by power cuts, Indian "broadband" speeds and hindi keyboards!

Images

PLEASE NOTE:
If you are from the media or wish to contact me please do so via email Amanda@thisisredbutton.co.uk not by commenting on this blog.
If you wish to be contacted by phone you will need to await my return to the UK week beginning 4th Feb.
These images are not to be used without the express written permission of a Founding Director of Red Button Design Ltd

In the News...

BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7204568.stm

Evening Times:
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/display.var.1987144.0.clean_water_device_is_best_idea.php