Graduate up for national business prize

Published on Thursday 17 January 2008 09:24

A GRADUATE from Heriot-Watt University is to represent Scotland in the final of a UK competition promoting entrepreneurship among students and graduates.

Venkatesh Iyer is up against six other regional winners in the government-backed HSBC Unipreneur Awards.

He graduated last year and set up Leeds Brewery, the Yorkshire city's first independent brewery, which has only four employees.

The expanding brewery, which creates fine ales and beers, is also due to open its first pub in May.

Mr Iyer beat off hundreds of competitors to make it to the gala final, being held in London.

Finalists will be required to give a five-minute presentation on stage, with the winner scooping the first prize of 20,000.

Huw Morgan, head of business banking at HSBC, said: "There is a new breed of young business men and women on the block who don't plan to make money for someone else."