Louisville, Ky.– Greater Louisville Inc’s EnterpriseCorp, the Louisville office of the Kentucky Innovation Network, and Junior Achievement (JA) are pleased to announce the finalists for the JA Company Program Pitch Competition and Showcase. Louisville’s own, JK McKnight, founder of Forecastle, will serve as the keynote speaker.
“This program is a great opportunity for students to learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship and want to take their startups to the next level,” said Lisa Bajorinas, Director Kentucky Innovation Network at GLI EnterpriseCorp. “And it provides young entrepreneurs with exposure to the regional startup and business communities.”
The finalists are:
· Koala-ity Teeth from Atherton High School
· Byte the Buzz from Jeffersontown High School
· ShoeLife from Jeffersontown High School
· Zip Clips from Louisville Collegiate School
· Eagle Tech from The Academy at Shawnee High School
· Wild Cases from Waggener High School
These student companies “turned classrooms into startups,” and will now participate in a Pitch Competition designed to give the region’s business community a chance to see youth entrepreneurship in action. During the competition, the selected finalists will demonstrate their understanding of business fundamentals, the importance of creatively marketing to their customer, and the power of persuading the judges of the viability of their business plan.
The Pitch Competition sponsored by JPMorgan Chase & Co. is scheduled for April 20, 2015 at the Kentucky Center for Performing Arts where all student companies will showcase their inventions. The event then moves to Bomhard Theatre where five finalists will present before a panel of judges in the Pitch Competition. The event begins at 6pm and is free to attend.
The JA Company Program is multi-dimensional and now utilizes an online learning management system so it is easy for students and volunteers to access and to use. Through 13 weekly classroom program meetings, mentors guide their students in learning how to engage in e-commerce and crowd funding, among other activities. Classes also include lessons in how to use e-tools such as spreadsheets for record keeping and online presentation and publication programs. Each class has a classroom teacher to provide information and help support both the student and the mentor.
“The re-introduction of this technology-based JA Company program provides strategic partnerships in the lives of students who show a passion for innovation,” said JA President and CEO Debra Hoffer. “We look forward to working with our partners on developing the program throughout the region.”
To register please visit www.JAKY.ORG.
