NewsTeen Entrepreneurs Pitch e-biz Plans to Area Venture Capital Firms
Finalists in Ventera's High School E-Biz Battle Chase $25,000 in Prize Money
McLean, VA - September 1, 2001. In hopes of claiming their share of $25,000 in prize money, three teams of high school entrepreneurs pitched their business plans to area VC firms as part of Ventera's High School E-Biz Battle. The Northern Virginia-area students, who were selected in June from a field of more than 70, have spent the summer refining their business plans with technology consultants from Ventera Corporation. Junior Jobs.com and Booz Allen & Hamilton also have been active as sponsors for the program providing additional guidance to students.
Students had 20 minutes to present their ideas to judges from Columbia Capital, Blue Water Capital, ASAP Ventures, and Ventera. Judges decided based on feasibility, market size, creativity/uniqueness and revenue potential. Virginia Secretary of Technology Donald Upson, an honorary judge, along with Robert Acosta, Ventera's CEO, distributed prize money from the program's sponsors with $12,000 for first place, $8,000 for second place and $5,000 for third place. All students retain the intellectual property rights to their e-businesses.
WHO:
Students that presented include:Team No. 1 - Chris Auer & Jeremy Edwards - Robinson Secondary / Chantilly Academy; Laura Carpenter -West Springfield High School
DigiCentives provides businesses sales promoting opportunities using "digital incentives." Through proprietary software, electronic coupons will be downloaded directly to a consumer's cellular phone or PDA. Participating companies will use it to reach new groups of consumers at lower costs. Companies will use it to gain access to valuable market demographic research. Barcodes can be scanned directly from the cellular phone or PDA at the check out counter of the retail facility.
Team No. 2 - Mike Hoffa - Mountain View High School/Chantilly Academy
The concept behind IGLOW is to provide a place for computer players of all types
to join together and play games. This is a place where computer enthusiasts can
just hang out, or take place in various sponsored computer tournaments. The
consumer would either bring his own computer, or use one at the facility, and
Gaming Arena provides the Internet access at high speed.
Team No. 3 - Josh Burruss, Andre Gjertsen, Melanie Wells - Stone Bridge High School
HoneyDo is an online company that will provide an easy way for people to make an
appointment with a household service provider. With a rising interest in
the Internet, people will be able to access a company which provides a
direct service link to service providers. Customers will be able to
choose between different contractors and set up dates of services
needed. Tagline: Log on. Relax. Enjoy.
And the winner is.... Mike Hoffa from Mountain View High School. Mike also attends Chantilly Academy to further develop his computer and technical skills. Runner up went to team Digicentives and second place to Team HoneyDo. All the students were dedicated and diligent to complete their projects and we congratulate all of them on their outstanding achievement.