Hassan Iqbal received £2,200 for his business

Hassan Iqbal

Hassan Iqbal, a young entrepreneur from Rochdale, has received £2,200 from businessman Normal Stoller CBE as part of the Oldham Enterprise Fund.

Hassan, who currently studies at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy in Oldham, was eligible for the funding because he studies in Oldham.

Hassan said: “I was really pleased to receive the money and it will now go towards hardware, software and marketing for the business.”

The business Hassan will be using the cash boost for is Creative Pixels, formerly known as Haz-Server, a web hosting company.

Hassan said: “I had to rebrand because I was helping people in five different countries and I didn’t think the brand was strong enough.”

Hassan put himself forward for the award after he was told about the process. He said: “It was all very last minute.” To be in with a chance of winning the award Hassan had to pitch himself and create a business plan. He added: “It was quite hard.”

By the age of 16, Hassan had already started and ran three of his own businesses. After completing his GCSEs at Oulder Hill Community School, he has now gone on to study for a two year Enterprise Diploma at the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy.

Hassan is now one of the first young people to benefit from the fund which was set up to support the next generation of Oldham entrepreneurs. £1 million has been donated to the fund by Mr Stoller with Oldham Council pledging to guarantee every 18-year-old school leaver employment or training opportunities.

“I think it is great that Oldham Council has pledged to help young people in this way,” said Hassan.