FOUR groups of Mount Clear College\u2019s year nine students presented their own entrepreneurial technology ideas to business and industry leaders at Runway on Thursday, 13 December.<\/p>\n
The pitches were part of the Upstart Challenge, an entrepreneurial startup program by charity, Upstart HQ. It\u2019s been running in Geelong for six years and has had 1100 participants.<\/p>\n
Co-founder, Heather Kelly was excited about \u201cBallarat\u2019s turn\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cSecondary students participate in the challenge, developing entrepreneurial mindsets and the chance to build connections and be mentored by local business leaders,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The challenge was founded by Ms Kelly and fellow innovator, Jenny Perks to prepare young people for the employment landscape as the region\u2019s industrial economic heritage transforms.<\/p>\n
Students, Paige Iskra and Aidan Russell pitched the \u201cFidgeto\u201d bracelet on Thursday, aiming to help people of all ages to stay calm and release nervous energy.<\/p>\n
There was some trepidation amongst the student designers, but Paige felt \u201cprivileged\u201d to bring her idea to Ballarat\u2019s tech minds, having considered the market\u2019s \u201creal need\u201d for her product.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt would be a cool thing to have actually out there, not a prototype or just an idea or imagination,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Perks emphasised the pitches were about \u201cso much more than ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about building the entrepreneurial capacity in the Ballarat region which benefits us all.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOUR groups of Mount Clear College\u2019s year nine students presented their own entrepreneurial technology ideas to business and industry leaders at Runway on Thursday, 13 December. The pitches were part of the Upstart Challenge, an entrepreneurial startup program by charity, Upstart HQ. It\u2019s been running in Geelong for six years and has had 1100 participants. […]<\/p>\n