YOUNG entrepreneurs in Weymouth have pitched their business ideas to local investors.

Students at Weymouth College took part in a Dragon’s Den style event last week to pitch their business ideas to local investors who are keen to invest money in start up businesses.

Participating in the ‘Route to Work’ programme run by Young Enterprise, students at the college have been given the opportunity to set up and manage their own businesses.

The two year programme is an initiative funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.

Six students have worked together to create designer clothing brand ‘Block Money Clothing’.

The students – Hannah Gorum, Jordan Davie, Ryan Berry, Sophie Wright, Kiera Blower and Beth Alderman – have raised funds for the business by selling shares and have already agreed to sell their products in a local skate shop.

Participating students at Weymouth College are competing against schools across Dorset and businesses must be profitable in the first year.

The winner of the regional competition will be the business that is most innovative and profitable, and they will then go on to compete at national and international levels.

Lauren Howfield, student involvement officer at Weymouth College, said: “We are delighted that our students are involved in this programme and we are supporting them in every way we can to help them to succeed in their venture.

“The college is committed to providing its students with an enriched learning experience and values extra-curricular employability programmes such as the Route to Work by Young Enterprise.”