YORKSHIRE businessmen Carl Hopkins and Jonathan Hick have made their choice of judges in a competition to reward talented young entrepreneurs.

Brighouse-based Carl and Jonathan, who hails from Hull, nominated Derbyshire-based online mapping service Gaist as their winner of The Pitch 2010 northern heat, which was staged in Liverpool.

Gaist representative Nick Kitchen wowed the judges with a presentation explaining the firm’s robust business plan and huge market potential – and beat off stiff challenges from four other Northern entrepreneurs to claim a place in the grand final in London in November.

The Pitch, which is run by BusinessZone.co.uk in association with business directories service Yell, is a small business competition giving entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their business to high-profile experts for the chance to win a prize package worth £50,000.

Carl and Jonathan have both appeared on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire.

Carl’s business interests include running a business “angel” service and a web-based recruitment agency. He is a non-executive director of regional businesswomen’s networking group Forward Ladies and has investments in other businesses, including fundraising site JumbleAid.com, Joblink Systems and Parties Around the World.

Jonathan is founder of Directorbank, Europe’s leading provider of senior directors to private equity and venture capital-backed companies. Since selling part of his stake in the company in 2006, he has been busy helping to start and build other businesses.

Said Carl: “I was extremely impressed with Nick’s pitch and the potential Gaist has for being a really impressive business. It’s been fascinating to be involved with The Pitch and I’ll look forward to the grand final.”

The winners of the regional heats will compete for the title of Britain’s Best New Business as well as £50,000 worth of business support prizes.