In “Shark Tank” fashion, 21-student entrepreneurs recently pitched their business plans to a panel of investors and local business leaders. Only six walked away with investment capital at the Young Entrepreneurs Academy’s (YEA) fifth annual investor panel on March 23.
This annual event is hosted by the Loudoun Chamber Foundation and the Loudoun Economic Development Authority. YEA! Loudoun is a seven-month program. It teaches middle and high school students how to develop, pitch and launch their own small business.
This year’s panel included Alice Frazier of BCT-The Community’s Bank, Bernard Mustafa of BE FIT Technologies, Preeti Sarnaik of Wells Fargo, Jenny Culnen of Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Larry Melton of The Building People, and Theodora Petrakis of SeKON.
The participants competed for $5,000 in investment capital and the chance to represent Loudoun County at the YEA! National pitch event.
Abhinav Sheth, of Eagle Ridge Middle School, took the top prize, $1,500. His business, Out of the Box Costumes, provides STEAM-based, do-it-yourself costume kits.
The Other 2021 YEA! Loudoun Investor Panel winners are:
- $1,000 – Yuvraj Chauhan, John Champe High School
ZBOT – an innovative virtual robot to make small businesses more efficient - $1,000 – Aryaa Agarwal, Broad Run High School and AOL
Bubblery – a customized, vegan body and skincare brand formulated just for you - $500 – Harlow Stanley, Belmont Ridge Middle School
Clean Halo – natural shampoo bar for the best hair day everyday - $500 – Ella Sultani, Freedom High School
SULT INC. CANDLES – candles with crystals that align you- with You - $500 – Chela Hess, Stone Hill Middle School
StyleSip by Chela – a business that celebrates Black and multi-racial women through hand-painted wine glasses and accessories
Applications are open for the Class of 2022 until June 12. Students may apply online, LoudounChamber.org/YEA.
The 2021 supporters for YEA! include Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun Youth, Inc., Loudoun Department of Economic Development, and the Mason Enterprise Center. Platinum Sponsors, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, Wells Fargo; Investor Panel Sponsors, PNC Bank, SeKON, The Building People; Scholarship Sponsors, Backflow Technology, Integrus Holdings, Inc., Northwest Federal Credit Union/Northwest Federal Credit Union Foundation, One Hour Heating and Air Conditioning; Graduation Sponsor, Stryker Spine; Design Sponsors, Additional Corporation, Altered Edge, Bluewing Creative, Conveyance Marketing Group, Gabriel Brown, Marie Boshoff, Mike Burns, and Paperfish Creative.
