A group of past and present Bradford University students are hoping to revolutionise the stationery world with an invention that already has a royal seal of approval.

The group – named Esquoia – began a Kick-starter campaign to fund the first batch of its re-useable notebook.

Its pages are similar to a whiteboard – after they are filled in they can be wiped clean and written on again.

Behind the idea are Valdemar Tunkevic, 24, Dontas Beksa, also 24, both economics graduates from Lithuania, Boris Livet, 21, from France, who is studying business management, and Daniel Gonsales Kasas, 21, who is studying business computing and comes from Russia.

They met while studying at the university and hope their simple idea will become a regular part of student life.

And they are already off to a good start.

They gave a demonstration to the Duke of York at his Young Entrepreneur Awards last week and were among the award winners.

They believe that although digital devices like iPads and tablets have become an everyday part of life, there is still a need for notebooks that allow people to jot down notes and diagrams.

Kickstarter is a way of funding projects in which members of the public make pledges of money and in return are sent the finished product if it reaches its target.

Although the students had already created several pads, they asked the public for the £7,500 they need to manufacture enough products for a proper launch.

They reached their target within seven days.

Mr Tunkevic said: “The first prototype was just a plain sheet of laminated paper. We continued the trial-and-error process with another bunch of papers, arranged with a local printing shop on campus.

“Finally we came up with a smooth, high-quality surface.”

He said the idea came about when the group was brainstorming possible business ideas.

He said: “We were discussing different ideas and making a lot of notes that were all getting messed up – and we thought it could be a lot more simple.

“So far things are going really well. We just need the exposure.”

Mr Beksa said: “Created with environmental care in mind, it is reusable, aiming to reduce paper waste.

“This is a thrilling and exciting moment to make it available to the public.”

The group is now in talks for the product to be sold at city shops around the university before it hopefully starts being stocked by major chains.