Bermuda's entrepreneurs of the future were on show at the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC) and HSBC third annual 'Rocket Pitch' competition, in conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week.

After six concepts were presented, Kamilah Cannonier from St. George's captured the imagination of the judges with her plan to open Sweet SAAK Bake Shop. Second prize went to John Narraway for this plan to develop Lyter Apparel, a line of hi-tech work-out clothes for maturing athletes.

It wasn't an easy task choosing first, second and third for judges Trina Roberts, head of business banking, HSBC, Michelle Khaldun, general manager of the BSBDC, and Anthony Foster, owner of Bermuda Sanitation & Engineering and BSBDC chairman.

The tallies for third place were so close that they called a tie between Jason Williams with A2B Delivery and Omari Dill with Utopia - an eco-business producing microorganisms which bio-degrades oil spills and agricultural by-products.

The winners shared the spoils of $8,000 in venture funding.

Other finalists included Sophia Cannonier with Conscious Birth Services and Sakeena Talbot of Virtual Office Management.

In total more than a dozen aspiring entrepreneurs took part in the Rocket Pitch competition which is sponsored by HSBC.

"The framework of the Rocket Pitch presentation is simple," said Jamilah Lodge, business development officer for the BSBDC. "The presenter has five minutes to tell a story to potential investors or other interested parties, and had to respond to questions from their audience.

"The challenge is to frame the message about their business idea that provides a solution to any local or global challenge within the five-minute time frame."

Ms Roberts said: "We view Global Entrepreneurship Week as a unique opportunity to support a community initiative that is encouraging young Bermudians to reach their full potential through innovation and entrepreneurship."

Joe Mahoney, executive director of the Youth Entrepreneurship Initiative and co-ordinator Global Entrepreneurship Week Bermuda Host Committee, said: "We believe that every entrepreneur who enters the Rocket Pitch competition is a winner for making the effort to get their dream of starting a business underway by coming to present their business plan.

"By doing so they are taking advantage of the coaching offered by BBDC and the Rocket Pitch judges. We're please by this year's results and look forward to spreading the word for next year's programme."