Student enterprise team from Lichfield reaches European finals

Green tents hope for international competition.

An innovative team of students from Lichfield hope to take a winning idea even further with help from the general public.

The students, from King Edward VI School in Lichfield have already been crowned the Young Enterprise Company of the Year 2020 and their green product also took the sustainability award, sponsored by HSBC at the UK finals. They will now take their business – making an environmentally friendly festival tent – to the virtual European final at the end of July.

The team’s business, EnviroTent, have created a fully recyclable, showerproof tent for around three days’ use from a high grade of cardboard which allows its user to be protected from the rain and other weather conditions. It provides insulation and complete darkness in the summer sun as well as enough space for two people along with their baggage.

The team, aged 16 to 17, wanted to find a solution to the growing plastic waste resulting from tents being left behind at festivals, with one in four festival-goers leaving their tent behind. The recyclable aspect aids the farmers and festival owners as the clean-up process can be significantly cut down. They won the Company of the Year at the UK Young Enterprise Awards in June.

To aid their success in Europe, the young company are asking the public to show their support, by voting for a 30 second commercial they have created with the help of Inspired Thinking Group. The voting will open on the 17th July and the voting link will be available on the team’s website listed below. You vote needs to be in by 22nd ahead of the finals which will be held between the 22nd and 24th July.

Tayla Evans, MD of EnviroTent said: “It feels incredible to have achieved these awards in such a competitive field as we were up against so many amazing companies, but I feel our green and sustainable product really gave us the edge. The Young Enterprise Company Programme has been an unforgettable experience, giving us so much insight into the business world and the knowledge we’ve gained from it will be invaluable to us.”

The team, which is supported with business advice from Dunelm’s Alison Muir and their teacher Neil Turner, has impressed in many categories throughout the competition so far, including Best Presentation Award, Innovation Award, Best Company Report, Young Enterprise Company of the Year, Sustainability Award and finally the UK Company of the Year Award 2020.