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IDEAFEST Student Business Idea Competition

The annual IDEAFEST Student Business Idea Competition is led by Henley Enterprise Lab (HELAB) and supported by Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship (HCfE). Open to all University of Reading and Henley Business School students, IDEAFEST seeks to find the student with the best idea for a business.

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What is IDEAFEST?

Students that enter IDEAFEST can present their business ideas and gain support that could lead to the business idea being commercialised. No prior knowledge of entrepreneurship or business experience is required to enter IDEAFEST - all that's required is a business idea and a passion to bring it to market. Students can enter IDEAFEST either on their own or as part of a team.

The winner of IDEAFEST receives a cash prize of £1,000 to spend on developing their business idea, with mentoring from Henley Enterprise Lab and Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship. There are also cash prizes for second and third places. There is also an additional cash prize of £750 for the best sales value proposition. These are sponsored by Southern Communications Group. On top of this, there is a special bursary of £2,000 for the best idea capable of being commercialised in China. This bursary is sponsored by Savio Kwan, the former President and Chief Operating Officer of Alibaba.

“IDEAFEST was an incredibly rewarding and motivating experience that helped me grow and strengthen my entrepreneurial mindset. It has given me the confidence and drive to keep developing my idea, and I’m excited to take the next steps with the support of Henley Business School.”
Paula Garzon, Winner of IDEAFEST 2026, MSc Entrepreneurship and Innovation student

You can read more about the 2026 competition here.

Want to discuss your business idea?

Students can also discuss their business idea with Jurek Sikorski or a member of the Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship faculty at the business idea and start-up clinic.


Henley Enterprise Lab logo


IDEAFEST is kindly sponsored by Southern Communications Group and Savio Kwan, the former President and COO of Alibaba.