Pics: Dragons' Den at Anfield
Three of Liverpool's most promising Academy youngsters popped by to Anfield recently as the Reds gave their backing to the city's Great Enterprise Challenge.
22 secondary schools from across the region showcased their entrepreneurial skills as they each came up with a business idea, and Jamie Stephens, Stephen Sama and Michael Ngoo were present as they battled it out with a Dragons' Den-style pitch to local trade experts inside the stadium.
Every team, including four from special schools in the city, were given a start-up fund of £100 to develop their ideas and Liverpool City Council, in partnership with Liverpool Vision, are the first local authority in the UK to launch such a challenge.
Watch our report from the event
10 teams progressed to the next stage and were given a further £250 - while more than 40 primary schools have also entered and will be judged on their written submissions. The two teams who make it to the final will win a trip to Washington DC next year.
The competition is part of the build up to next year's Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), where entrepreneurs and thought leaders from more than 120 countries will be represented.
Liverpool West Derby MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Education Stephen Twigg said: "It was great to meet all the teams from schools across Liverpool. They really were a credit to the city and their ideas prove that the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well amongst our young people.
"This Great Enterprise Challenge is exactly the sort of thing that should be encouraged and the city council deserves much praise for funding it.
"There is no doubt that this competition will provide a legacy with many of those taking part becoming the entrepreneurs of the future.
"Anfield provided the perfect venue and it was great for the teams to meet the three Academy players, who are themselves stars of the future."
Here are some photos from the event
