Herts hosts national final of prestigious Young Enterprise Start-Up competition and wins ‘Best Pitch’

Nearly 100 of the UK’s brightest young entrepreneurs gathered at the University of Hertfordshire this

Led by Hertfordshire Business School, the event brought together student start-ups from 15 leading UK universities, including Herts, as they pitched their proposals to a panel of expert judges, all competing for a place in the JA Europe finals taking place this July in Athens, Greece.

Participants competed for awards across categories such as Innovation, Sustainability, Social Impact, and Best Pitch. As the host institution, the University provided an exciting platform to showcase nationwide entrepreneurial talent in young people.

Hertfordshire’s own team, Greendining [pictured], earned national recognition by taking home the Best Pitch Award. Led by MBA student Rishang Parihar alongside teammates Pankaj Giri and Natasha Singh, the start-up impressed judges with its eco-conscious tableware made from biodegradable leaves. The team’s innovative approach to sustainable dining combined strong market awareness with a compelling environmental message.

Speaking to BBC Three Counties about the win, Natasha Singh said: “Our motto for Greendining is ‘Go Green, Eat Clean’ and our vision is to develop and implement a sustainable dining solution. The way the business works, is by importing high quality, sustainable leaf-based plates to the UK market to offer a practical and sustainable alternative to plastic and paper plate options. These plates decompose within 90 days, and can then be turned into fertilisers for farming, so offer a far more environmental and economic dining option.”

With plans to introduce ‘green bins’ that will speed up decomposition of the plates to just 30 days, and a leaf-based lidded bowl intended for takeaways, the team have big ambitions for the future.

“We’ve set ourselves a huge goal – to replace 10 million plastic plates by 2028, but know the sustainable dining market is a very attractive one now, and that more and more people care about Net Zero and doing their bit to the save the environment, so we truly believe that our product will sell itself.”

Professor Damian Ward, Dean of Hertfordshire Business School, said:

“We were honoured to host the Young Enterprise Start-Up UK National Final and witness the exceptional talent and creativity these students brought from across the country. A special congratulations to our team Greendining – their win reflects the entrepreneurial energy we nurture at Herts.”

Two other student ventures also represented the University of Hertfordshire at the national final:

• Able Rise – Runner-up overall and winner in multiple categories, this team developed the Rhine X Suit, an assistive garment designed to support differently abled individuals. Students Rohan Suneja, Neha Teena P, and Hamza Mazari stood out for their blend of empathy-driven design and technological innovation.
• Clothsafe – Founded by Chibwili Mulenga, Clothsafe introduced an eco-friendly clothing treatment that renders fabrics hydrophobic and anti-bacterial. The venture proposed both consumer product sales and applications within university settings.

This year’s final not only celebrated entrepreneurial achievement but also demonstrated the power of student-led innovation in addressing today’s challenges. With Greendining’s Best Pitch win and strong performances from Able Rise and Clothsafe, Herts reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing enterprise, sustainability, and student success on a national stage.

The University has recently launched its Clearing webpages, offering prospective students the chance to explore a wide range of business courses and to discover how they can turn entrepreneurial curiosity into a successful career.