Two aspiring entrepreneurs, mentored by Wake Smith & Tofields, have been awarded a £5,000 cash boost from Sheffield Hallam University, after winning the University's annual business start-up competition, the Enterprise Challenge.
Highball Climbing impressed the judges with their innovative new climbing product and won the prize to support them in taking their business forward.
Highball Climbing is already in business, designing and constructing bouldering and rock climbing walls, but what makes Highball climbing so unique is their innovative and unique freestanding training wall.
Entrepreneurs Ollie Hemstock and Andrew Asquith beat 93 other entrants to take the top prize, crediting business mentor Peter Rawlinson, partner at Wake Smith & Tofields, for their success.
The award was presented by Ruby Wax at Sheffield Hallam's annual Enterprise and Innovation dinner. The competition offers finalists access to support, advice and business services to develop their business. The best business then wins a cash boost to develop their idea further.
Ollie, 23, a final year student at Sheffield Hallam, said: "We are absolutely blown away to win! We entered the competition for the services and facilities of the University's Enterprise Centre but our competitive streak came out about half way through the competition and we made a real effort to win"
They were inspired to start a business after building a climbing wall in a basement, they identified a market and the idea grew and grew leading to them creating a limited company in June.
Peter Rawlinson, a commercial partner at Wake Smith and Tofields, was delighted at the win and said "We are keen to support all innovative new businesses like Highball Climbing. We are delighted with Andrew and Ollie's fantastic achievement having worked closely with them over the last six months."
"The prize will help them hugely to develop the new product and bring it to market. They have done so much in promoting their business and in trying to impress the judges who we treated as being potential investors. We are really excited about helping them to develop their business in the future."
The glittering event was attended by dozens of South Yorkshire's most prestigious firms and organisations and guest speaker, the comedienne Ruby Wax said: "I think the two lads should have won because they have a brilliant idea but, sadly, I am not a climber so probably won't get to enjoy their product."
