This time of year, many kids compete in the WPIAL Athletic Championships. But there’s a group of high school students taking on something potentially even higher stakes: entrepreneurship. It’s a “Shark Tank”-like program called Startable by Innovation Works.
At Northgate High School in Bellevue, a group of girls is working on a business plan for apparel for people with limb defects, such as amputations or prosthetics, with snaps that can be adjusted to fit their needs.
“We wanted to create something that looked cool, but something that didn’t look like, ‘Oh yeah, this kid has a limb defect.’ ,” said Northgate High School senior Skai Jackson.
Skye’s team won last year’s Startable competition and continued to learn and develop their idea further through classes and after-school programs.
Startable program manager Sherry Brown says students bring fresh perspectives that can help change the world.
“We recognize that there are great challenges around the world and across the country that today’s entrepreneurs are not necessarily able to meet,” Brown says. We need new creativity and new eyes. ”
Startable provides funding to support the cost of teachers and supplies for the nine-week high school program. The program specifically seeks out people who are underrepresented in entrepreneurship, including women and people of color.
Northgate is one of six schools in nine Pittsburgh-area counties with Startable Groups this spring. Each student who completes the program earns her $100, and $1,000 will go to the winning team.
Charles Walker is a junior at Northgate University and is working on a business plan. “My idea is actually called a hydromotor,” says Charles. “This is a water-powered engine.”
Fellow third-year student Kadenne Kemp said of her team’s idea for a bracelet that acts as an alarm to wake up with electrical stimulation. “Most people don’t like waking up in the morning,” says Cadenne. . It is a wristband that is attached to the wrist. ”
Each group comes up with their own ideas and creates a business plan and presentation for the competition. You will learn many important skills along the way.
Cadenne says he learned a lot through his Startable pitch experience. “It’s definitely communication, public speaking,” he says. “Sometimes I’m thinking something in my head and when I say it out loud, it doesn’t make much sense. So I’m really learning to talk.”
Startable inspired some students to pursue entrepreneurship beyond the classroom. One of them is Jay Shane, who decided to go to college for business instead of getting a job right away.
Skye also found her way through inspiration from Startable. So now I’m starting my own photography business, which inspired me to become an entrepreneur. ”
In the May 11 contest, a team from Northgate High School won a $1,000 Trailblazer Award for their idea called “Budget Boss.” This is an AirTag-like device that helps students stick to their spending plans by alerting them when they are nearing or approaching a specified budget.
During the program’s 10 years, some students have pursued their ideas after high school and turned them into successful businesses, such as Self-Leveling Cups.
Click here to learn more about Startable. If you would like to see if your school can participate, please email Shelly Brown at SBrown@startablepgh.org.
