On Friday 25 March, twenty-two Economics/Business Studies/Accounting students attended the Business Sprint event run by Young Enterprise NZ. This replaced the three-day Business Challenge that usually runs as a combined event with MGC as COVID has required us to modify programs. This is an exceptional learning experience that motivates, excites and informs young New Zealanders about business and its potential as a life choice. Our students found it a valuable and enriching learning experience and found it an important part of their studies even though it was a much shorter event.

Business Sprint is a hands-on learning event where students can develop their skills, get in front of businesspeople and learn more about how to present a good business idea. Students learnt about starting a business, business planning process, how to create and pitch their own business plans and developed life and employability skills.

The winning team consisted of Junior O’Brian, Jackson Gray, Charlie Howard and Will Partridge. The brief for the day was how to put Blenheim back on the map, get visitors to stop and spend their money here and provide something for youth to do. Judges were looking for sustainability, good financials and a concept that filled the brief. Here is how Junior described what they did:

"Our project was called "Project Mecca" meaning like ‘a place of interest’ with our company name being "Rise Urban Development". Our idea was to have a building three stories high and place it over Horton Park and replace the cricket pitch. The netball grounds would be our parking lot with a nightclub there. The building would consist of a shopping centre and a light railway train to go through it to have an abstract look. We were targeting it for 16+ and families. Our saying was "being able to provide cross-roads between mind, body and soul"

Their project also included hot pools, accommodation, markets, wine tasting, rooftop gardens, playgrounds, green spaces all in a very up-market design that showed innovation and sustainability.

Many thanks to Wayne Prince (who presented the day) and Jared Morris, Craig Howard and Kamni Raju who gave up part of their busy days to come and judge at this event.