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The final shortlist has been announced for the UK's leading regional university business planning competition.

The Blueprint 2007 awards final will see ten student-based business finalists compete to try and launch their businesses, with prize money and business services being given to the winners.

Blueprint has three award categories: the Business Awards, the Science and Technology Award and for the first year, the Creativity and Design awards.

Entries include those from universities in Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teeside.

Dorothy Kelly is enterprise and business support manager for regional development agency One NorthEast, one of the sponsors of the competition.

Ms Kelly emphasised that the initiative was important for the economic success of the region - and for the employability of the students involved.

As reported by The Journal, she said: "The regional economic strategy puts our five universities at the heart of our agenda.

"It is becoming increasingly popular that young people are taking the entrepreneurial route rather than settling to work for somebody else or for a large organisation.

"And if graduates do not become self-employed, they will often work for a smaller employer who will expect a highly entrepreneurial attitude."