A FORMER Enfield pupil has reached the final of Hertfordshire's answer to Dragons' Den.

Rona Robinson, from Barnet, has beaten off 133 competitors to reach the last round of Flare 2010, the University of Hertfordshire’s business challenge for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Her idea is to manufacture unlicensed medicine for patients who are prescribed licensed products that are not available.

The plan impressed the judges and she will now have the chance to pitch her idea to Julie Meyer, a dragon in BBC’s online Dragons’ Den, Martin Carr, senior financial services manager at Exemplas, and Adam Titmus, senior manager at professional services firm Deloitte.

Ms Robinson will compete against nine others for the coveted title, which includes a trophy, cash from a prize fund of £25,000, fully furnished office space and professional advice.

The former Latymer School student, who is currently teacher-practitioner at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire, said: "I am thrilled to be through to the final. This is a great venture and a challenging opportunity for me.

"As a scientist I am not used to competing in competitions and I am looking forward to the feedback from the judges when we pitch our idea next week."

The finalists will present their ideas on Friday, April 30, at The Gherkin, in central London. The winner will be announced at a dinner on Friday, May 7.

Nigel Culkin, director of the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise at the University of Hertfordshire, said: “Flare was launched in 2004 to provide students, staff and alumni with an opportunity to develop and test their idea, and to get a taste of the life-world of an entrepreneur.

"Rona has shown great entrepreneurial spirit to make it through to this stage, but it is now down to who can hold their nerve for the Dragons-style pitch on April 30."