Worcester Innovators Network

The first challenge of the day was aimed at helping to give us experience of presenting to venture capitalists. Sadly they didn’t explain this to us untill after we had a very unpleasant presentation.

The challenge was to develop a plan on how supermarkets can reduce waste plastic packaging. A relatively relaxing idea compared to the previous running around. We had 2 hours to complete the presentation

We started by thinking of where supermarkets use packaging and where it can be cut back on. We thought about the reasons why packaging was needed and how much was influenced by the customer. We then continued to create a 4 step plan.

Step one - Ethical points

We develped the idea of creating ethical points on top of general points you would receive at tesco etc. These ethical points would be gained when a more ethical approach was adopted by the customer. Food with less wrapping, resusing plastic bags, buying fairtrade etc. These would then go towards supporting a charity. We also played with the idea of helping different charities depending on what they bought. So for example helping protect sea life when you bought fish.

Step 2 - Bags

We came up with the notion of replacing bags with net bags. cheap to produce and very environmentally friendly. These bags could start by replacing carrier bags and then move on to hold fruit and veg. We suggest the notion of charging for plastic bags and using this money to make net bags free

Step 3 - Packaging

Here we felt was the strongest point of our plan. The introduction of a scale, such as the one to tell you how much salt and fat is in your food, but to instead tell you how environmentally friendly the products packaging is. This we felt would stop customer ignorance and also force producers to take more action for their food.

Step 4 - Influencing suppliers

As we know supermarkets have a lot of control over suppliers. This could then be used to require suppliers to adopt the above scale and to also increase their use of biodegradable packaging.

Obviously the plamn was a bit more detailed but this was the jist of it.

We had to submit the presentation by email so we couldn’t change anything. We then had an hour to practice our presentation. A luxury that earlier teams didn’t have.

Walking into the board room we had no idea what was instore for us. Our slides already to go we had to present from the second we walked in the room. Something we were not aware of. An instant way to look disorganised and make you nervous about the presentation. Today i definetely learnt why so many people struggle on Dragons Den. They’re not unprepared just forced to be uncomfortable. With my mind instantly confused i stubbled slightly on our introduction. Then a video we planned on playing didn’t load. Something your just competely unprepared for. This then made me rush to move the presentation on and made me forget a section of speach i wanted to use. Although i managed to work it in later, the optimum efffect was lost. Several slides later and it was over. The end line “have you got any questions” couldn’t have come soon enough. We thought. Then came the unimpressed look, 30 seconds silence and the first question. We got asked the same question 3 times but in a different way. I kepting thinking what is it that you want us to say, we’ve already given you the answer. The last question they asked was about the suppliers. We all looked at each other. I eventually answered it and by the smile on the judges face as they knew they couldn’t come back made me know it was a good way to end the challenge.

Outside we spoke to other teams and it became clear that everyone had had a bad time in there. The instant start and asking the same questions proving a common theme amongst the presentations. Hearing others ideas we thought we had done well. Esspecially after hearing cambridge’s idea of throwing science at them and what sounds like the creation of a new plastic. Something that wouldn’t surprise me from the boy wonders.

A dissapointing and unexpected 5th for the challenge.