Second Place Team (Track 1) “Covers for a Cause”
On Saturday, August 1, 2020, 93 high school students representing more than 55 high schools from the Greater Washington region and beyond participated in the 2020 JA Entrepreneurship Summit Pitch Competition and Awards Ceremony.
The event was the culmination of the 2020 JA Entrepreneurship Summit, an intensive virtual “startup boot camp” where high school students are challenged to design ready-to-launch, socially-conscious businesses, culminating in a pitch competition to a panel of local business leaders.
Over the course of five days, students utilized technology to brainstorm and collaborate with peers, accessed mini-seminars and workshops, and learned from business leaders and trained volunteer mentors. By participating, students developed the technical and soft skills needed to not only become successful entrepreneurs, but also to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy in a variety of professions and careers.
This year, students were divided into two tracks based on experience level.
Track One companies were tasked with identifying a social issue of their choice and choosing one product from the Custom Ink inventory around which they could build a business that addresses the social issue.
Team “Play Buddy” (Track 2)
Track Two companies were challenged with developing a plan for a social enterprise that addressed a problem by directly impacting the issue, raising awareness of the issue, or raising funds for those impacted.
In addition to designing their product, student teams devised a marketing campaign around their product, developed a business model that allowed for growth and sustainability, and prepared a business pitch. Students learned to operate with limited resources in a high-stress situation, meet deadlines in spite of steep learning curves, and build leadership skills from every level within an organization
The JA student companies were supported and guided by over 100 volunteer mentors throughout the week.
Team “Outdoor Impact,” a company that provides resources for a healthy lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic, received First Place in Track One.
Team “MIND,” a company that offers a virtual mentorship program that creates a safe and free platform where teens can discuss taboo topics like mental health, received the Overall Winning Team title in Track Two.
First Place team (Track 1) “Outdoor Impact”
Overall Winning Team (Track 2) “MIND”
Thank you Pitch Competition judges:
Camille Blair – Capital One
Lisa Friedlander – Shulman Rogers
Andy Louis-Charles – Custom ink
Dan Maguire – TeraThink
Trang Sabel – Salesforce
Clifford Yee – Northern Virginia Family Service
FULL COMPETITION RESULTS
Congratulations winning student companies:
Overall Winners – Track One:
Third Place – Heart Fit
Second Place – Covers for a Cause
First Place – Outdoor Impact
Overall Winner – Track Two:
MIND
Audience Choice Awards:
Track One: Compostable
Track Two: Be Aware
Social Media Challenge Winners:
Track One: Covers for a Cause
Track Two: MIND
Click here to watch the full Pitch Competition and Awards Ceremony.
The 2020 JA Entrepreneurship Summit would not have been possible without the support of Challenge Partner, Custom Ink, and Pitch Presentations and Award Sponsor, State Farm.
For more information and JA entrepreneurship programming, please contact Gayle Robinson.