Every year over 50,000 students graduate from UK art institutions. While some seek full-time employment with companies, others want to go into business for themselves. Deutsche Bank supports some of these entrepreneurs through its Awards for Creative Enterprises.

Launched in 1993, the awards provide practical and financial support to aspiring young artists, designers and performers to start a business or pursue a project in the first year after graduating. They recognize the value of creative entrepreneurship and the innovation that talented people can contribute to society - activities that Deutsche Bank encourages globally.

Deutsche Bank announced at the award ceremony that it is building on the established success of the Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise by opening the competition up to 50,000 creative students from 200 universities and art colleges across the UK. 

The creative sector is one of the UK's enduring competitive strengths, employing more than 1.5 million people and representing over 8 percent of GDP. The Deutsche Bank Awards aim to put the next generation on a fast track to success.

There have been 172 winners since the initiative began, supported with more than £1.2m in start-up capital. In 2014, Deutsche Bank presented 15 awards to graduates from various art colleges and institutions, including the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, the London Contemporary Dance School and the Royal Academy of Music.

The winners will each receive £10,000 start-up capital, a business mentor from Deutsche Bank, a place on a small business training course, access to new audiences and networks and a place within the illustrious award winners' alumni network. In addition to the winners, approximately 300 art students nationwide this year received training to apply entrepreneurial thinking and techniques to their creative practice, with around 200 students developing professional plans for post-graduate careers.

Amongst last year's winners was Mauricio Affonso, a graduate of the Royal College of Art and designer of LuffaLab, which went on to be nominated for the Design Museum's 'Designs of the Year' 2014. Lareena Hilton, Global Head of Brand Communications & Corporate Citizenship at Deutsche Bank commented: "Our aim is to continually help more young people reach their potential through our Born to Be programmes. Students today face a challenging environment as they move from their studies into the world of work. Through our Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise we help create pathways to successful futures, equipping creative young people with the business understanding they need to turn their talents into sustainable careers. We congratulate this year's winners and hope hundreds of other students who received business plan training will also decide to launch their enterprises."

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