VentureLab’s May 2023 Youth Pitch Event Recap and Replay

virtual youth pitch event May 2023

In the world of entrepreneurship, ideas are only the beginning. The cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset is what truly sets apart those who can turn their ideas into reality. VentureLab’s May 2023 Youth Pitch Event highlighted this in a profound way, showcasing the creativity and determination of young entrepreneurs, each of whom demonstrated key entrepreneurial mindsets.

The virtual event was run by Scott Mann, VentureLab’s Director of Education, while our new Executive Director, Desma Deitz, introduced the esteemed panel of judges: Kelly Weaver, Regional Director of the Small Business Development Center; Mary Scott, award-winning filmmaker, founder of BusinessRiff, and author of the St. Louis Startup Resource Guide; and Doug, CEO of Bold Xchange.

Watch the replay:

What stood out about these young entrepreneurs was not just their innovative ideas, but their ability to embody and articulate the importance of the entrepreneurial mindset. They showed curiosity, courage, adaptability, resilience, and persistence – traits that are vital for entrepreneurship.

The participants, Ali, Ibraheem, and Husayn of VIB (Very Industrious Brothers), demonstrated curiosity and adaptability in their lawn care business, diversifying their services based on customer needs and feedback.

Abdullah, of Happy House of Desserts, highlighted the mindset of embracing failure when his homemade snow cones didn’t turn out as planned. However, he persisted and adjusted his strategy until he achieved the desired results.

Mikayla of Krafty Creations by Kayla showcased her courage in the face of doubt and adversity, and her creativity in creating and selling her paintings, abstract letter blocks and candles.

Natalie, who offers customizable family and pet photography through Pawsome Portraits, exhibited the power of persistence and grit in juggling her business with other commitments.

Mady of SMART Laser Designs emphasized her journey of embracing failure as she encountered difficulties in engraving and designing. Her experience was a testament to the importance of resilience and a positive attitude towards failure in the entrepreneurial journey.

This event was more than just a showcase of innovative business ideas. It was an inspiring display of the entrepreneurial mindset in action, providing valuable lessons for both young and seasoned entrepreneurs.

As we look forward to the next Youth Pitch Event, we invite you to get involved and learn more about our mission to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets in youth of all ages. If you’re an educator, a professional, or someone who believes in the power of entrepreneurial education, your support has made an impact.

Let’s continue fostering the entrepreneurial mindsets towards creating the next generation of diverse innovators and changemakers by making entrepreneurship education accessible to ALL youth.

Meet our panelists from June’s Youth Virtual Pitch night

Youth pitch event volunteer panelists June 2022

Meet our panelists from June’s Youth Virtual Pitch night. We appreciate them taking the time to volunteer their time to give feedback and mentoring for this event.
Our next pitch event is August 4th from 5-6pm Central time. Register here to participate as an audience member. 
Register to be a panelist.
If you know a kid age 6-18, you can register them to pitch their idea!

More information about our Youth Virtual Pitch Events

June’s Youth Virtual Pitch panelists were:

Dr. Ali Zicker is the account director for the Caravel Group, which works with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies supporting drug development and clinical trial efforts. Previously she has been a senior scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific, Worldwide Clinical Trials Drug Development Solutions, and Life Technologies. Dr. Zicker received her B.S in Biology and BA in Political Science from the University of Arizona and her PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin.

Catherine Jhung is a Senior Managing Director at Hercules and leads origination, venture relationships, and business development for the fund’s Technology and Sustainable/Renewable Groups. Before joining Hercules, Catherine spent over 10 years in senior operational roles within startup companies, including sales, business development, research and product management. Catherine received an MBA from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, a BS in Agricultural Economics and a minor in Computer Information Systems from UC Davis.

Julie Shannan is our executive director at VentureLab. She brings over 20 years experience managing nationally recognized informal STEM programs for girls, parents and educators across the nation and is passionate about engaging kids as creative problem solvers in a world filled with so many challenges.

We appreciate and are deeply grateful to our audience participants, volunteer panelists, donors and young entrepreneurs!

More information about our Youth Virtual Pitch Events

 

16-year-old Kartik’s pitch for his invention, SugarJet

16-year-old Kartik's pitch for his invention, SugarJet, a painless affordable insulin pump

Watch 16 year old Kartik pitch his invention to help diabetics: SugarJet, a painless, permanent and affordable insulin pump. He talks about how his grandmother’s challenges with diabetes inspired him to create this invention, about how this device matches up to competitors, and gets feedback and questions from our panel.

Learn more about our Youth Virtual Pitch Events and register today

 

13-year-old Myiah’s Mocha Beans Boutique Pitch

Youth Virtual Pitch: Mocha Beans Boutique

Watch 13-year-old Myiah pitch her idea for hair and beauty products, Mocha Beans Boutique, during our June 2022 Live Virtual Pitch Event! She talks about her beauty business and the unique products that she’s created, and then she receives feedback from our panelists.

Learn more about our pitch events and register today.

 

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