Students from Balcarras School have achieved outstanding success after being named Best Overall Company at the South West Young Enterprise Regional Final. The event took place on 5th May 2026 at the Taunton Conference Centre in Somerset, bringing together top student businesses from across the region.

The Young Enterprise Company Programme challenges students to create and run their own businesses over the course of an academic year. At the regional final, eight teams competed in a range of categories, including Innovation, Marketing, Sustainability, Customer Service, Financial Management, Creativity, Teamwork and Best Presentation.

Balcarras’ winning team, Grounded Origin, impressed judges with both their product and business approach. Their company produces eco-friendly plant pots made from chaff (a by-product of coffee production that is often discarded as waste). When planted, the pots naturally decompose into the soil, releasing valuable nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and magnesium, helping to improve soil health.

As regional winners, the team will now go on to represent the South West at the UK Company of the Year Final in Cardiff on 3rd June.

Managing Director Noah Roscoe described the experience as “absolutely amazing,” highlighting the hard work and perseverance of the team throughout the year. He explained that the journey had helped everyone develop important skills, particularly in leadership and teamwork, and said they are excited for the next stage of the competition.

Anyone wishing to support Grounded Origin can explore their products online:
https://grounded-origin.co.uk/

Support from the community will play an important role as the team continues its journey at the national level.