On February 29, Carmel High School (CHS) sophomore Franklin Vultis received an award from Carmel Educational Foundation (CEF) and State Bank at the second annual Start Me to promote his entrepreneurial project Go Fun Yourself, a personal card game business. was awarded $2,000. Up cup tournament.
Mr. Franklin Vultis making a pitch. (Photo provided by Carmel Educational Foundation)
“State Bank partnered with Carmel Educational Foundation to launch the Start Me Up Cup because this student-centered competition has an entrepreneurial spirit,” said State Bank Hamilton County said Market President Andy Pinegar. “We understand that successful business owners have an entrepreneurial spirit, and we want to help develop the next generation of business leaders. We want them to learn the basics of business planning, company structure, and how to grow a company.From the beginning, this Shark Tank experience has been a great learning tool for our students and a great one for us. . Sharing their ambitious goal of building a company and seeing it grow has given us new confidence in the next generation.
The CHS Student Entrepreneurship Club and CHS business teacher Josh Shelton worked with CEF to market the opportunity and coach applicants in preparing their presentations. Entrepreneurs Club leaders were the first to submit video applications and business plans with the goal of selecting five finalists to pitch their ideas for the possibility of winning a $2,000 investment from State Bank. We screened 11 participants.
Here are the finalists and their ideas: Rebecca Lee: RePLASTICS: A Creative Spin on the Plastics Crisis. Grace Larkey, Siri Birisetti, Kent Fujita: InsightUp App. Franklin Vultis: Enjoy yourself. Athul Ramkumar and Sid Songrikar: Healthify.AI. and Arjun Sunil: Slow Eater Pet Feeder.
Start Me Up Cup entrepreneurs Athul Ramkumar, Sid Songrika, Siri Byrisetty, Grace Larkey, Kent Fujita, Arjun Sunil, Rebecca Lee, and Franklin Vrtis. (Photo provided by Carmel Educational Foundation)
Each individual or team had a 15-minute live pitch and time to answer questions from a panel of judges known as the “sharks.” Panelists included Jim Badger, vice president of marketing for State Bank; Mr. David Glenn, President of Coasterstone. Sean Goodyear, Founder and Owner of Indy Facets; Lindsey Brown, Owner and Publisher of Carmel Magazine. and Kimberly Hansen, Chief Operating Officer of Old Town Companies.
All judges said they were impressed by the high quality of the presentations and the breadth of ideas presented. Although it was a difficult decision, Vrtis had a winning idea that focused on creating customized games. The judge felt that his model was scalable and that the $2,000 investment would help move his business forward.
Vultis said he was excited to emerge as the winner.
“My SMUC entry was Go Fun Yourself, a card game business that creates personalized card games for specific individuals,” Vultis said. “I entered the competition to accelerate my business success and learn more about smart business strategies. I hope to use the prize money to invest in increasing accessibility and increasing my visibility through online advertising. I’m so glad they gave me that opportunity and even more excited to get started!”
Franklin Vultis and his parents Kelly and Matt. (Photo provided by Carmel Educational Foundation)
Vrtis has already successfully created several games, including Roundabout Game, which is featured in several stores in the Carmel area.
CEF Executive Director Jennifer Penix plans to hold the Start Me Up Cup in a high school auditorium in 2025 and include business class students as part of the audience. As the parent of a young entrepreneur, she has seen the positive impact that can come from thinking through every aspect of a concept and overcoming the challenges that any business is sure to face.
“I am grateful to work with dedicated community members who believe in providing students with opportunities to not only learn, but to dream,” said Penix. The Foundation’s mission is to support the achievement and lifelong learning of Carmel students, and the Start Me Up Cup is a perfect example of putting our mission into action. ”
About Carmel Educational Foundation
The Carmel Educational Foundation, one of the oldest foundations of its kind, was created to help Carmel Clay students reach their full potential. Since 1966, the Foundation has awarded more than $2,100,000 in college scholarships to Carmel High School seniors and more than $1,000,000 in educational grants to encourage lifelong learning to Carmel Clay students. I’ve been doing it. The Foundation is run by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors dedicates its time and energy to accelerating the Foundation’s mission by making grants, awarding 85 to 100 scholarships annually, and expanding resources to Carmel Clay School.
