About the awards

For several years, the Youth in Test Valley Awards, also known as the Test Valley Young Entrepreneurs Contest, has provided young people aged 13 to 21 with an opportunity to explore their entrepreneurial potential. The contest has supported dozens of young people through mentoring, business challenges, and the awarding of grants to turn their ideas into reality.

Julian Chen, who we are named after, was more than a sponsor for the inital editions of the awards – he was a guiding figure who believed deeply in the value of giving young people opportunities to succeed. It is fair to say that without Julian’s support, the awards programme would not be where it is today.

Following Julian’s passing, we believe that it is both right and necessary to honour his contribution in a way that ensures his legacy continues to inspire and benefit generations of young people across Hampshire.

In 2026, we are changing the awards for two reasons. First, to honour Julian’s legacy, we renamed the contest as The Julian Chen Awards, now organised, run and managed by a newly established Community Interest Company, The JC Fund CIC. By doing so, his name will forever be associated with opportunity, entrepreneurship, and belief in young people’s potential. This change ensures that the profound influence he had on both individuals and the community is not forgotten, but instead continues to grow.

Second, we want to ensure the awards reach a wider audience and are sustainable long into the future. To achieve this, we are expanding the programme from its initial Test Valley roots to cover the whole of Hampshire. This will enable many more young people to take part, while also raising the profile of the awards and their impact.

How the awards work

    • The restructured awards will follow a clear and transparent process, beginning with the creation of the prize fund and then opening applications.

    • The programme will now begin each year with an annual fundraising gala event. This will be a high-profile celebration of local business and community spirit, bringing together businesses, community leaders, and supporters from across Hampshire.

    • Importantly, all running costs of the Ball will be covered through business sponsorships, ensuring that every penny raised on the night goes directly to young people.

    • Proceeds from ticket sales, auction items, and raffles will be placed into a central fund, named The Julian Chen Fund.

  • Once the Gala has taken place and the fund is established, applications will be invited from young people across Hampshire. Applicants will be asked to submit their business ideas, which will then be reviewed and shortlisted. Successful candidates will progress into the structured awards process, which includes a series of workshops, mentoring sessions, and challenges designed to build their confidence and develop their entrepreneurial skills.

  • The journey will culminate in a final showcase, where the selected finalists will pitch their ideas before a panel of judges. Grants will then be awarded directly from The Julian Chen Fund, ensuring that the money raised by the community is returned to the community by supporting its young people.

    This new structure not only makes the awards sustainable but also allows us to increase their impact. With a larger central pot, we can support more finalists, provide larger grants, and extend mentoring opportunities to a greater number of young people.

Our impact so far

The previous format has already demonstrated the power of this initiative.

In 2025, the contest received 76 applications from young people across Test Valley. The overall winner, Rahmat Issah Ismail, a student at The Romsey School, was crowned the winner and wanted to establish an inclusive fencing club for children aged 8 to 12. Other finalists included business ideas in areas such as 3D printing, photography, and custom merchandise.

The contest attracted the attention and participation of local dignitaries, including mayors, MPs, and senior business leaders, and secured strong coverage in local and regional press. Finalists benefited not just from funding, but from valuable mentoring and the confidence that comes from presenting their ideas publicly.