The Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN) celebrated the 2023 Pitch Challenge finalists, winners, and grand prize recipient during a Zoom meeting on August 15.
The fourth year of the contest, designed to encourage youth entrepreneurship engagement, saw a record number of submissions.
Five finalists and one winner, who received $50 gift cards and $100 gift cards respectively, were selected for grades K-4, 5-8, and 9-12. They were judged on creativity, persuasiveness, and overall quality of the pitch.
Hans and Evan Kamat won the grand prize for their product, the Benchwarmer.
While playing Varsity soccer during his sophomore year of high school, Hans sustained an avulsion fracture in his left ankle. He was forced to the sidelines during the rest of the season, sitting on the bench as the weather got colder.
He and his partner Evan discovered that injuries are more common in cold weather and developed the Benchwarmer to help protect sports players from injury during colder months. They also market it towards families who want to stay warm and comfortable in the stands.
The grand prize included a $500 gift card and a VentureLab Spark Program Scholarship valued at $2000. During the program, Hans and Evan will be paired with a mentor who will spend four months helping them further develop their business. The program also provides them with up to $500 worth of materials.
The Pitch Challenge was developed after MASN received a grant from the Charles Stuart Mott Foundation in 2019 aimed at developing youth entrepreneurship in afterschool education.
“The grant allowed us this opportunity and this privilege to be able to bring entrepreneurship to young people across the state,” said Mark Cowsert, Associate Director of Partnerships at MASN. Soon MASN partnered with the Young Entrepreneur Institute and VentureLab to expand what the challenge offers to Missouri youth.
YEI also facilitated a national version of the Pitch Challenge, receiving more than 200 submissions from around the country. Four Missouri pitches, including the Benchwarmer, became finalists and winners of the National Pitch Challenge.
Afterschool programs throughout the state can take advantage of VentureLab Curriculum offered free of charge on their website, venturelab.org. You may also reach out to Aaron Banks at abanks@missouri.edu to learn more about VentureLab resources.
Sponsors and partners of the 2023 Pitch Challenge include: Charles S. Mott Foundation, Young Entrepreneur Institute at University School, VentureLab, Missouri Chamber Foundation, MOSourceLink, and MU Extension. For more information, please visit https://moafterschool.org.
