Bottle-top idea earns Kya teen-tycoon title

Winner Kya Meylan receives her certificate from the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor David Jones, watched by other finalists. Picture: ANTHONY MILLER

Young entrepreneur Kya Meylan has proved she has a real head for business at 13.

Her innovative idea for bottle tops that add flavour to bottled water has won the fourth annual Oldham schools’ Fast and Furious competition.

Kya, a pupil at North Chadderton School, was presented with her Best of the Best award for her healthy alternative to fizzy drinks by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor David Jones.

The 2010 final was held at at the Oldham Sixth Form College theatre, in front of VIP guests and over 100 business people and parents.

Six teams from Oldham secondary schools made the final and also had to face a grilling by a “Dragons’ Den” composed of local business men and women.

The 21 finalists in six teams each received commemorative certificates and ipods. Kya was also presented with £50 of itune vouchers.

Second was the team from Radclyffe School with Mugs & More – digitally-printed gifts and commemorative items.

Third was Crompton House School’s Track It device to prevent the loss of computer memory sticks.

The presentations were made by the Mayor of Oldham, Councillor David Jones; the Youth Mayor , Liam Turner and local entrepreneur Liz Birkbeck, the keynote speaker.

She described her business career from working as a Saturday girl selling trainers at £1 profit a pair while still at school to setting up Bubbles, which for 10 years was one of Manchester’s most glamorous and successful design agencies.

She then set up her current business — The Mill Company — a virtual full-service creative consultancy working from the North-West and London.