De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester is encouraging enterprising students to compete for cash to get their business ideas off the ground and turn them into a reality during Global Entrepreneurship Week (16 - 22 November 2009).

DMU is launching its annual Start-up Bursaries through the Campus Enterprise Opportunities (CEO) Scheme on Tuesday 17 November, with the help of Midlands law firm Harvey Ingram LLP.

Harvey Ingram is sponsoring the Start-up Bursaries for the next three years to help DMU continue to nurture some of the best talent in the country. Three annual £500 bursaries will be awarded to the most enterprising students developing the best start-ups in the CEO scheme.

Students from the University's five faculties, Technology, Humanities, Art & Design, Business and Law and Health & Life Sciences, will pitch their ideas during the qualifying rounds 17- 19 November. The best ideas from each faculty will then go through to the grand final on Friday 20 November, where the students will pitch their ideas to a panel of expert judges with a five minute presentation to win one of the coveted £500 Start-up Bursaries.

The judging panel for the grand final is John Stobart, Partner at Harvey Ingram, Aatin Anadkat, Managing Director of Maiyango Hotel in Leicester, David Alder, Head of Press and PR at DMU and Dr Tracy Harwood from the Institute of Creative Technologies (IOCT) at the University.

CEO will also be running a start-up session on Thursday 19 November on effective selling and negotiation skills.