Conceived by Millennium Point Trust and delivered in partnership with Birmingham City University, Millennium Point Trust’s Young Innovator Prize is designed to encourage young people to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics.

The prize ensures that top talent is retained and developed in the West Midlands and builds on the city’s rich heritage of invention, ingenuity and thought-leadership. It is designed to promote inclusivity, encourage diversity of thought and opinion across the S.T.E.M agenda, and ensure that everybody has the chance to have a great future, regardless of their background, financial circumstances or other barriers.

The prize-winner will secure a sponsored undergraduate degree worth over £27,000 at BCU in the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

Neil Anderson, director of marketing, communications and events at Millennium Point, said: “Birmingham is bustling with opportunities and is a vibrant centre where young people can make a name for themselves. The Young Innovator Prize is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will give a young person the chance to follow their dreams, build a career and receive support from some of the most renowned organisations across the city.”

Simon Handley, associate dean at Birmingham City University, said: “We’re thrilled to be a partner of the Young Innovator Prize. The Faculty’s shared vision is to create a powerful centre of technological excellence and innovation. The prize supports our ambition to train and develop inquisitive and enquiring minds – equipping our students with the technical skills required to contribute successfully to our wider industry.”

Abigail Lavercombe, winner of the Young Innovator Prize for 2016, added: “Winning the Young Innovator Prize has changed my life completely. I have been able to pursue my passion for engineering at Birmingham City University and I am really enjoying it so far. Taking part in the Young Innovator Prize really built my confidence and pushed me to follow my dreams.”

To enter, applicants or their teachers must first register their interest by visiting Millennium Point’s dedicated Young Innovator Prize website. Individuals will then be asked to submit a one-minute video introducing themselves and what the prize would mean to them before the deadline on Monday 30th January 2017. Successfully shortlisted applicants will be asked to deliver a five-minute presentation in a live final which will take place in March 2017.