On Wednesday, July 25, 2018, team "Piggybox," composed of young entrepreneurs from across the region, won first place in the 3rd annual JA Entrepreneurship Summit Pitch Competition.
The winning team impressed the judges with their innovative product "Piggybox," a monthly subscription box containing finance-themed toys and activities for kids with the purpose to educate them about financial literacy. The members of the company included Christopher Albrecht, Alex Boettger, Ryan Paul, Ethan Phan, Deepa Rao, and Ayonnah Tinsley.
This year's competition was held at EY in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. This event was the culmination of the 2018 JA Entrepreneurship Summit, a five-day, interactive experience where students are challenged to develop an original business product that they ultimately pitch to a panel of judges Shark Tank-style.
The high school students were split into five teams and tasked with creating a social enterprise that addressed society's most pressing social, cultural, and environmental challenges. The five companies included "Piggybox," "Evergreen Supplies," "Rebuild," "Monarch Nation," and "P.A.W."
Throughout the summit, students participated in mini-workshops to help them develop both their technical and soft skills. They thought through all aspects of their proposed business plans, including finances, marketing strategy, production, and more. With the support and guidance of local business volunteer consultants, students were pushed to think outside the box and develop creative solutions.
Other teams developed products ranging from eco-friendly pencils to bracelets made by local homeless.
Pitch Competition judges included Brian Frydenlund (Principal, Growth Mindset Group, LLC), Durecia Moorer (Managing Partner, ABCD & Company), and Keith Lemer (CEO, WellNet Healthcare).
Junior Achievement of Greater Washington congratulates all five teams for an outstanding job and thanks our many summit volunteers for their commitment to helping empower future entrepreneurs with the skills to succeed in the future.
Click here to view more photos from the 2018 JA Entrepreneurship Summit and Pitch Competition.
