The Little Pine Company Secures Victory in the 2025 Tycoon Enterprise Competition
The Little Pine Company from Queenswood School have been crowned this year’s winners of the Peter Jones Foundation’s national Tycoon Enterprise Competition. Beating 270 other student-led businesses, they were awarded a £1,000 business grant from entrepreneur and Dragons' Den star Peter Jones CBE.
The Little Pine Company is a Tycoon business created by Key Stage 5 students from Queenswood School. The students worked together to transform recycled wine bottles into stylish plant containers, first filled with miniature Christmas trees and later repurposed for succulents. Through this business, the students demonstrated great creativity, values, and business acumen as well as championing a care for the environment.
Originally intending to produce candles, the team quickly pivoted after facing school restrictions, showing great adaptability by repurposing raw materials to reduce waste. Bottles were sourced from local pubs which were reworked and hand-cut using glass cutters. Despite their early financial setback, the team demonstrated resilience by creating a sustainable product that blended innovation with environmental responsibility.
During the 2024-25 Tycoon Enterprise Competition, the Peter Jones Foundation supported 270 Tycoon businesses, made up of 1,035 students from 78 schools by offering a total of £35,174 in goodwill loans. Tycoon is the UK’s largest free school-based business competition which encourages young people to develop core enterprise skills, by giving students the opportunity to tackle the challenges of real-life business. Students learn a range of skills including communication, resilience, leadership, and creative problem-solving.
The Foundation would like to extend a special thanks to Kamal Ellis-Hyman, Peter Jones Enterprise Academy alumni and founder of Aim A Little Higher; a development and coaching company specialising in turning emerging talents into high performers through their transformative accelerator programmes. We are grateful to Kamal who delivered an insightful and inspiring speech to our cohort of students.
We wish to spotlight our ongoing collaboration with Talentino through the development of a Tycoon Enterprise Competition specifically designed for SEND learners. Talentino is an independent early career development company, who specialise in the early career development of young people with special needs and those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Peter Jones CBE, Chairman of Peter Jones Foundation said:
“In 2012, I launched the Tycoon Enterprise Competition to provide young people the opportunity to learn about business in a fun and safe environment. Each year, I’m increasingly impressed by the Tycoon teams and how much they have developed through the competition. Well done to all the students.”
At the Foundation, our mission is to advance enterprise education across the UK and beyond. As we celebrate our 20th anniversary and reflect on two decades of impact, we remain committed to expanding opportunities and inspiring brighter futures for generations to come. Congratulations to The Little Pine Company and to every team that took part in this year’s competition.
Tycoon Winners 2024/25
Tycoon 750 KS1-2 Winner: Physenthal from Breaside Preparatory School
Motivated by research showing that people over 18 are generally less active, the team set out to inspire healthier habits by encouraging activities away from screens. Through products such as stationery, caps, and fidget boards, they aimed to make wellbeing both fun and accessible.
Tycoon 1K, KS3-4 Winner: iPadazzle from St Helen and St Katherine School
This team offers custom iPad and tech personalisation kits, aimed at helping students express themselves while supporting meaningful causes. The team gave their profits to several charities such as Be Free Young Carers, Whizz Kidz, and Sobell House Hospice.
Tycoon 1K, KS5 Winner: The Little Pine Company from Queenswood School
A creative and eco-conscious business that transforms recycled wine bottles into stylish plant containers, first filled with miniature Christmas trees and later repurposed for succulents.
Tycoon 3K Winner: The Nosey Pooch from East Durham College
A thoughtful business tackling the stigma around dog muzzles by creating colourful, patterned alternatives to the traditional plain black designs.
Talentino 1K Winner: Blooming for You from Ascent College
Set up by SEND students, this creative business offers a range of products including hanging baskets, planters, and grow bags designed to enhance outdoor spaces.
Business for Good Award: Trinket Box from AKS Lytham
A creative jewellery business that upcycles broken sea glass and old or donated jewellery to craft unique handmade pieces inspired by their local seaside town.
Innovative Business Award: Bandit from Oundle School
By transforming the traditional docket cards into secure wristbands, this product makes it easier for students to carry and keep track of their access credentials. The wristbands allow entry to school buildings and access to printers, improving security and reducing inconvenience caused by lost dockets.
People’s Choice Award: The Little Pine Company from Queenswood School
The People’s Choice Award is a special prize as it is voted for by the ceremony’s attendees. This gives the students the opportunity to showcase their work whilst allowing guests to learn about the students’ businesses. The Little Pine Company secured the victory with 203 votes.
The team not only won the People’s Choice Award but also won the Tycoon Enterprise Competition, making it an exceptionally successful awards day for them.
For more information about Tycoon visit: www.tycoon.com