Ten High School Entrepreneurs Compete for $50,000 in Prizes and Scholarships During Pirates Pitch 2023

Ten high school entrepreneurs committed to launching their own start up or receiving support for fledgling businesses will compete as finalists in Seton Hall University’s ninth annual Pirates Pitch for High School Students competition, hosted by the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Stillman School of Business from 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, November 17, in Jubilee Hall Auditorium. This tournament also celebrates Global Entrepreneurship Week activities taking place around the world from Nov. 13-19.

These future business leaders have successfully submitted original business proposals describing an innovative product or service in 350 words or less. The students next face off in an in-person "Shark Tank" style competition, after passing their first hurdle against 170 young entrepreneurs from 18 U.S. states as well as Canada, Germany, Nigeria, India, and Singapore, to qualify for more than $50,000 in prizes and tuition scholarships. They will convey their startup ideas in five-minute presentations to an independent judging panel of faculty members and successful alumni. 

The University community and the public are invited to watch these pitches and cheer for their favorite contestant at the event on campus. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be livestreamed here. All viewers will be invited to cast a vote to select the Audience Choice Award. The contest will include a five-minute Q&A session and all finalists will receive valuable feedback from the judges.

"I am always so impressed by the talent and business savvy demonstrated by our pitch contestants.  I’ve also enjoyed, over the years, watching several of the contestants thrive in their studies and their business ventures.  It’s wonderful to see so many young people taking advantage of this opportunity to build their skills and refine their startup concepts," said Joyce A. Strawser, Ph.D., Dean, Stillman School of Business. 

This year’s projects are wide-ranging, with many geared to innovative ways that students are using their creativity and talent to help improve the world through sustainability, diversity, caring for the environment, and pathways to global engagement. The projects include harnessing AI for a physical therapy solution, a car-pooling app to get young fans to concerts, a centralized digital platform to assist middle school and high school students in finding internships, a method to recycle technology, and a fair-pricing app to assist coffee farmers in Guatemala. 

"Our participants gain valuable business experience and receive entrepreneurial advice from our judging panel so they can become nimble innovators and change-makers in today’s complex business climate," said Susan Scherreik, M.B.A., founding director of the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Stillman School of Business.

Scherreik pointed to a recent survey by Junior Achievement USA that indicated that three in five American teens, approximately 60 percent, would be more interested in starting their own business than having a traditional job. She noted that those who practice entrepreneurship in high school and college get a head start on learning how to make their startup dreams a reality.

This year’s prominent judging panel includes Stillman business faculty and alumni entrepreneurs: Elizabeth McCrea, Ph.D., associate professor of management and entrepreneurship; Sunny Bathla '00/MBA '15, senior vice-president and chief growth officer, Sonata Software, and founder, OSB Co., Alissa Lopez, M.B.A. '19, founder and CEO of the Family Balance Planner, product marketing manager, PulsePoint, and a first-place winner in the Seton Hall collegiate Pirates Pitch competition, and Victor Gomez, '17, manager of Seton Hall Esports, an accomplished alumnus who has been instrumental to the founding, creation, and growth of the University’s Gaming Sector club and the current esports program at Seton Hall, two-time BIG EAST League of Legends Champions and two-time Rocket League Champions.

Seton Hall University’s popular teen startup competition takes place during the third week in November to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), which spotlights the millions of people around the globe who are unleashing their ideas to start and scale new businesses. This year, GEW will sponsor 40,000 events and activities in 200 countries.

All qualifying finalists will receive at least $4,000 in tuition scholarships to attend Seton Hall. The top finalist will receive a $2,500 cash award and a $10,000 tuition scholarship. The second-place winner will receive a $1,000 cash award and a $6,000 scholarship. The Audience Choice Award winner will receive $300.

The Pirates Pitch Competition for High School Students helps to develop and showcase entrepreneurial skills that align with the World Economic Forum's list of the top skills that professionals need to thrive, including complex problem-solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. The competition also introduces students to the Stillman School of Business, its Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the nationally ranked Center for Leadership Development within the Buccino Leadership Institute.

This year's finalists include:

• Matthew Choi, a senior from Fort Lee, NJ, attending Fort Lee High School 
  Startup Idea: Tech Cycle
• Jonathan De Caro, a junior from Moodus, CT, attending CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering 
  Startup Idea: Fair Price Information Network
• Rafael Flores, a senior from Carlstadt, NJ, attending Don Bosco Preparatory High School
  Startup Idea: EKOS
• Nicole Freiler, a senior from Park Ridge, NJ, attending Park Ridge High School
  Startup Idea: Tidy Brush
• Gauri Kshettry, a junior from Edison, NJ, attending Edison High School 
  Startup Idea: TheraPose
• Julia Livolsi, a senior from Glen Rock, NJ, attending Glen Rock High School 
  Startup Idea: Bliss Bars
• Rachel Mokoko, a sophomore from Jersey City, NJ, attending McNair Academic High School
  Startup Idea: MERCS
• Kushagra Sadwal, a junior from Princeton Junction, NJ, attending West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South 
  Startup Idea: Mr. MD
• Akshaya Venkatesh, a junior from Chester Springs, PA, attending Downington STEM Academy
  Startup Idea: Ethnic Clothing Tailoring
• Kevin Zhang, a sophomore from Annandale, NJ, attending North Hunterdon High School
  Startup Idea: Aetherstar

For more information, please visit this page. You will be able to watch the livestream here. 

Categories: Business