A bright spark has chance to land £4,000

The Shropshire Star has begun the hunt for the best business idea in the county - the spark of inspiration which could launch a new company or make an inventor a millionaire.

Star Idea is the quest to find the entrepreneur with the inkling of a new venture or the company which wants to push ahead with growth despite the economic downturn, but needs support to get the project off the ground.

The Dragons'-Den-style competition was such a huge success in both 2007 and 2008, that the Shropshire Star is doing it all over again.

But this time we are not restricting entries to individuals, but are hoping that companies, networking communities and social enterprise groups, and even Young Enterprise companies will also enter the competition so we can help get their idea off the ground.

Sometimes the idea is just a spark of an invention but without the financial backing to turn the dream into a reality. Or perhaps the invention or the project is up and running, but needs the extra cash to take it that next step forward.

Star Idea aims to recognise an inventor, entrepreneur or local company which has developed a recipe for commercial success, but needs cash and expert support to make it happen.

It could be an idea scribbled on the back of a beer mat, or a sophisticated product ready to be unleashed on the market.

All we ask is that the idea is accompanied by some kind of business plan, showing that you've done your homework and investigated your marketplace.

We've assembled a panel of prominent local business people who will meet our candidates to judge the potential of their idea.

Diana Thompson of the e-Innovation Centre in Telford, Peter Pawsey from the Rural Regeneration Zone, Ian Morris of Turner Peachey Chartered Accountants, and Amy Bould from the Shropshire Star make up our expert panel.

But it's YOU the local public who will have the final say.

Once the panel have selected their favourite entries, we will ask the entrants to present their idea on camera which will be uploaded on to ShropshireStar.com. We will also feature them in a special supplement in the paper in June.

Viewers of the website and readers of the paper will then have the chance to vote for the best idea to clinch the top prize.

And what a prize the winner will receive - a guaranteed £4,000 in cash to help get their Star Idea off the ground.

The competition is FREE to enter, all we ask is you live in the Shropshire Star's circulation area. What have you got to lose?

Simply tell us in no more than 300 words about your Star Idea. Include any drawing, pictures or background information you feel may be appropriate, and tell us how you believe it has the potential to be a commercial success, and what you would do with the prize money.

Make sure you add your name, address, and phone or e-mail contact details and send to Star Idea, Features Desk, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford TF1 5HU or e-mail starfeatures@shropshirestar.co.uk.

The closing date for applications is Friday, May 1.

* Employees of Shropshire Newspapers, sponsors, associate companies and their immediate families are not eligible to enter. The editor's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.