STUDENTS have been focusing on how to solve some of the biggest social challenges facing the North-East, as part of a new competition designed to develop innovation and enterprise.

The Careers Service at Newcastle University hosted the first ever 'Rise Up Flux' event, as students competed in teams to develop their ideas, before the grand finale, where they went head to head in a fast-paced pitch in front of a live audience of industry experts.

Twenty five of the region's best business minds and graduate employers judged the teams and were on hand to give advice as they developed their pitches and honed their business skills.

The theme of the event was 'Innovation means collaboration' where students were tasked with finding original solutions to connect the University with the communities of the North East.

The students were expected to develop, plan and present a strategy that addressed this social challenge. The teams were briefed and then with the help of facilitators they developed a commercial solution considering issues such as cash flow, equity and defining the business model.

They then spent time with business experts, refining their plans and assessing where improvements needed making, before making a pitch to a panel of business 'dragons', who they had to convince that their solution would work.

Some of the solutions included getting students to act as tutors in secondary schools to help pupils who may need some extra support in certain subjects and another where students would act as consultants for businesses.