University of Bolton students’ delight at Bolton Ignition Fund cash awards

Three University of Bolton students are celebrating after successfully winning bids for cash to help them get their business ideas off the ground.

Overall winner Callum Taylor received £2,000 and runners-up Carol Grech and Eboni-Rose Williams were awarded £1,000 from the Bolton Ignition Fund, an initiative run by the university for students or recent graduates.

Callum’s business idea involves re-engineering components on classic motor vehicles to make them suitable for the modern world

Student midwife Carol, who is a mum of six, aims to set up a mother and baby well-being service, called Baby Blossoms.

And Eboni-Rose’s winning idea was to produce 3D printed dental models and specially-made impression trays to make the dental laboratory more efficient.

Callum said: “I am very proud to receive the money from the BIF – it will enable me to rent a single garage in which I can use as a workshop to not only build my proof of concept but hopefully store and assemble kits when interest is generated.

“I hope to use the rest of the fund to get the proof of concept built in a reasonable time frame, so I can begin to market the kit throughout the build to stir interest

“I’m really excited to get underway and have the University and its partners to thank for the ongoing support and confidence in me.”

Carol said: “I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to be part of the Bolton Ignition Fund. The workshops have given me and my fellow peers a great insight and platform into starting a business.

“My business will offer self-care and maternity services which are an excellent combination.

“My passion is helping people to feel good and the prize of £1000 will pay for my baby massage qualification and help me develop a business which offers mothers the opportunity to enjoy a positive community of interaction, engagement, and well-being for themselves and their babies.”

Eboni-rose said: “The BIF award will allow me to bring my vision into a reality and to buy high-quality equipment and begin testing the necessary software.

My goal is to one day open my own dental laboratory and the BIF has helped me begin my dental career.”

Jane Stuart-Puttnam, Enterprise Co-ordinator at the University of Bolton, said: “There were some excellent applications for the fund and we were very impressed indeed.

“Callum, Carol and Eboni-rose demonstrated excellent business ideas and we wish them every success for the future.

“We look forward to continuing to support each of them on their enterprise journeys.”