A sanitary disposal inventor from east London is one step closer to winning a £3,000 helping hand to see his dream become a business reality.

Farrell, from Manor Park, who recently graduated from Westminster Kingsway College, has been shortlisted for the individual category in the ‘Edge Challenge’ contest—against six others from around the country.

They all submitted business plans with financial and marketing forecasts.

Anurah’s idea was a sanitary disposal carrier unit invention that has got him through to the next stage in the contest.

“I am looking for funding for my business,” Anurah revealed. “I felt this challenge would be a chance, after several failed attempts to get funds from other sources that I need to get off the ground.”

His next hurdle is pitching to a ‘Dragons’ Den’ type panel of business judges on November 3.

The top three pitches go on to showcase their ideas at the three-day Skills Show in Birmingham from November 13. The eventual winner gets £3,000 to develop their idea and six months’ mentoring from the business world. Second prize is £1,250 and third gets £750.

The contest was set by the Edge Foundation education charity and the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy to help young start-up entrepreneurs get going.

Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones, founder of the Peter Jones Academy, said: “Anurah has done a superb job so far and is leading the way. This contest shows the talent young people have in thinking up new ideas and following them through to create viable businesses.”

But many in the contest may never take their ideas forward, organisers point out. The experiment with start-ups, however, develops a mind-set that strengthens their job prospects.