Alleyn’s Year 12s Shine at LSE Generate Demo Day

Since September, 70 Year 12 students at Alleyn’s have taken part in the LSE Generate Schools Programme as an integral component of Alleyn’s AiQ Start-ups provision: a dynamic initiative designed to cultivate entrepreneurial thinking and equip pupils to tackle real-world challenges. Following three intensive bootcamps - including inspiring visits to LSE’s Gen Den in Holborn - the project culminated in a high-energy Demo Day back at Alleyn’s.

From identifying urgent social and environmental problems to developing their own Minimum Viable Products (MVP), each session pushed students to refine their ideas and sharpen their pitches. The final awards reflected the breadth of imagination across the cohort: FarmLink was Highly Commended for the idea with the most potential impact, recognised for its scope to support mental health among farmers and to connect the farming industry on a global scale; Tree Sleeves received a Highly Commended for the best use of humour in a pitch; and Thrown to Home was awarded Most Innovative Concept for its service recycling pre-loved clothing on university campuses. The overall LSE Generate Alleyn’s Winner 2025 was S’wiped, an ethical and sustainable brand specialising in make-up brushes and applicators.

At the final showcase, students delivered confident five-minute pitches to a panel of judges, including alumnus Max Denis (Brading’s 2020), now at NatWest, accompanied by his equally entrepreneurial parents. Their feedback was unanimous: these young people are thoughtful, driven, and unafraid to confront major issues with clarity and purpose.

The Demo Day was much more than a presentation; it was a celebration of ingenuity, social conscience, and collective ambition that left the judges deeply impressed. The atmosphere was electric, and every voice mattered. Congratulations are due to all participants, many of whom pushed well beyond their comfort zones in presenting their ideas to judges and peers. Their commitment, creativity, and courage made this programme a resounding success.

The level of learning, engagement, and entrepreneurial flair on display could not be more apt for the world our students will soon enter - indeed, it is increasingly essential. Even if they do not all yet recognise the significance of these skills, they certainly will when real adult life beckons.

The pitches themselves were rich with concepts rarely expected from Year 12 students: inflationary pressures, MVPs, market research, and more. The learning was unmistakable. One team even had to revise its entire idea at the last minute due to absences, a testament to their adaptability and genuinely fleet-footed entrepreneurial thinking. This is precisely the kind of learning our young people should be doing, and there is no doubt it will pay dividends for them in the future.