The door for applications for the third annual IGNITE youth business plan competition has been opened.
The competition is statewide and is open to students in Grades 6 to 12, in two divisions. It's organized by IGNITE, which is the K-12 entrepreneurship volunteer force active in the Prima Civitas Foundation's Moving Ideas to Market initiative. The goal is to get new business ideas into practice, and this competition does so by providing pre-seed money awards to the winners.
"This competition gives youth an opportunity to show their entrepreneurial spirit and creative ideas to their parents, teachers, and community," says Holly Hetzner, Initiative Manager for Moving Ideas to Market, IGNITE's parent program. "We see the award money not so much as a prize, but as an initial investment in innovative start-ups."
The categories and awards available include a new science and technology category this year, and those who have participated in years past will note the award amounts also are higher.
In the middle school division, which students in Grades 6 to 8 can enter, the first place award is $400; in the high school division, for students in Grades 9 to 12, the first place award is $400 in two categories, products and services. Each business plan entered will get feedback from the judges.
The deadline to turn in applications is March 25; find out more or download application documents at the
Moving Ideas to Market website.
Writer: Sam Eggleston
Source: Holly Hetzner, Prima Civitas Foundation
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