Inspiring Young Innovators: i.Invest National Business Competition Connects Teen Entrepreneurs to Experienced Business, Academic Leaders
Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) March 01, 2016 -- PR Solutions LLC, in collaboration with business and academic leaders from across the country today announced the launch of a new competition focused on connecting youth entrepreneurs to mentors and funding resources. The i.Invest National Youth Entrepreneur Business Competition challenges young leaders 13 to 19 years old with a demonstrable product or service to compete on a national platform and to participate in virtual coaching and one-on-one mentoring. Participants will be matched with investors, corporate and academic leaders from top organizations, including Google Pittsburgh, General Electric, SEI Investments, and Johns Hopkins University.
“America has always been a nation of innovators. In today’s increasingly competitive global economy entrepreneurship plays a critical role,” said Don Morrison, i.Invest judge and Chairman of Deal Flow at BlueTree Allied Angels. “The earlier we can teach innovation and entrepreneurship the stronger our economy will be. Programs like i.Invest provides critical skills that will enable us to maintain our competitive edge for years to come.”
The i.Invest Competition seeks creative business concepts in one of three categories – General Business, Socially Conscious and Technology Products and Services. Starting today, youth entrepreneurs can submit online concept profiles, executive summaries, and pitch videos in preparation for the first round of scoring. Application deadline is May 1st. There is no fee to compete.
“Youth entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of future innovation,” said Michelle Jackson, President of PR Solutions LLC and Executive Director of i.Invest. “We set out to create a competition that allows all youth entrepreneurs to compete regardless of their location or affiliation with existing entrepreneurship programs.”
Jackson, who served as the executive director for InvestMaryland Challenge, the state of Maryland’s first international business competition, and a past mentor for Pittsburgh-based non-profit, Entrepreneuring Youth has helped to create public and private sector programs for new business ventures for over 10 years.
“Connecting youth to passionate and experienced leaders who care about building a pipeline of future innovators is a game-changer,” said Jackson. “We invite serious youth entrepreneurs from all walks of life to compete.”
Applicants who advance to the second round of scoring will be assigned to virtual coaching and one-on-one mentoring sessions starting in July. The top 20 applicants will compete in a live pitch event in a select city in the Fall. Winners will walk away with cash and in-kind prizes valued at over $10,000 and opportunities to receive equity and non-equity investments.
"The i.Invest competition provides one of the most exciting platforms for young innovators to showcase their best ideas, show off their passions, and highlight their talents,” said Jim Liew, i.Invest judge and Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance at Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. “I highly recommend to all aspiring business leaders to find experienced mentors and to learn now how to compete in a real-world business environment if they are serious about becoming an impactful entrepreneur. Local and national competitions are a great way to start the journey into the wonderful world of entrepreneurship.”
To submit an online application, youth entrepreneurs and their parents can visit http://www.i-investcompetition.com. To learn more about mentoring and sponsorship opportunities, email [email protected].
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PR Solutions LLC is a strategic marketing and corporate event planning firm that specialize in working with new and established ventures to build viable business models and to integrate innovative marketing tools into for-profit and non-profit business strategies. To learn more, visit http://www.prsolutions123.com.
To stay abreast of the competition’s progress, follow us @iinvestcomp on Twitter.
Michelle Jackson, PR Solutions LLC, http://www.prsolutions123.com, +1 (724) 307-3056, [email protected]
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