Future Business Magnates 2026 - Celebrating the next generation of enterprise in County Durham
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The Future Business Magnates Awards 2026 brought together students, teachers, business partners and guests at Hardwick Hall for a memorable celebration of creativity, ambition and enterprise across County Durham.
Delivered as part of Business Durham’s commitment to developing future talent and strengthening the region’s enterprise pipeline, this year’s programme once again showcased the power of connecting education with real business insight.
A theme rooted in place and purpose
This year’s challenge, “Your Town, Your Story: Shaping Tomorrow Together”, encouraged students to explore the places they know best and use them as inspiration for new business ideas.
From local heritage and tourism to community identity and visitor experiences, teams were asked to think about how business can both reflect and shape the future of their towns. The result was a diverse range of ideas rooted in local pride, creativity and commercial thinking.
Across the academic year, students developed their concepts through workshops, mentoring and structured learning in business planning, finance and marketing, supported by a network of dedicated business partners.
An afternoon of celebration at Hardwick Hall
The awards ceremony at Hardwick Hall marked the culmination of months of hard work. Guests were welcomed into a celebration featuring dinner, entertainment and the presentation of awards recognising outstanding achievement across multiple categories.
The ceremony was expertly hosted by Charlie Charlton, whose engaging presentation kept the celebrations flowing. Adding to the atmosphere, close-up magicians entertained guests at their tables during dinner, providing moments of surprise and laughter before the award presentations began.
The atmosphere throughout reflected not only competition, but collaboration. Schools, business partners and organisers came together to celebrate the energy and potential of young people across County Durham.
Category winners
This year’s awards recognised excellence across a range of disciplines, highlighting the breadth of skills demonstrated by participating teams.
Most Resilient Team
King James I Academy - The Lamp, supported by Stiller Warehousing and Distribution
A mining themed café and information hub celebrating local heritage.
Most Original Idea
Wolsingham School - Histories Mysteries, supported by Waterstons
A creative visitor experience combining train journeys with interactive historical activities.
Best Prototype
North Durham Academy - Histables, supported by TEDCO
Collectable badges designed to enhance knowledge of local culture.
Brian Manning Award for Best Use of Networks
Bishop Barrington Academy - The Bishop of Time, supported by South West Durham Training
A sculptural concept exploring Bishop Auckland’s past, present and future.
Best Pitch
Hermitage Academy - Chester le Trails, supported by Durham City Incubator
Walking trails around Chester-le-Street exploring local landmarks.
3rd Place Overall
Durham Johnston School - Tours & Trinkets
Walking tours of Durham paired with a souvenir gift shop experience.
2nd Place Overall
Tanfield School - supported by Marmax Products
A strong overall performance recognised for creativity and commercial thinking.
Overall Winner
Hermitage Academy - Chester le Trails, supported by Durham City Incubator
Developing skills for the future
While the awards recognise achievement, the impact of Future Business Magnates extends far beyond the ceremony itself.
Students involved in the programme have developed essential enterprise skills including teamwork, problem solving, financial awareness, marketing and communication. Just as importantly, they have gained confidence in presenting ideas, working with business partners and thinking critically about real-world challenges.
These are the foundations of future careers, whether in business ownership, employment or further education.
Thank you to partners and schools
Business Durham would like to thank all participating schools, teaching staff, business partners and sponsors who have supported this year’s programme. Their involvement plays a vital role in connecting young people with the realities of business and helping to build ambition across the region.
Looking ahead
Future Business Magnates continues to demonstrate the strength of enterprise education in County Durham and the importance of giving young people opportunities to develop, test and showcase their ideas.
As this year’s programme concludes, one thing is clear - the future of business in County Durham is full of talent, energy and potential.
We look forward to seeing what the next generation will create next.
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