Teen Entrepreneurs Showcase Business Ideas at the Tulane Innovation Institute Young Entrepreneurs Academy Pitch Competition
When Gen Z and Gen Alpha entrepreneurs start businesses, they bring a youthful perspective on what modern companies should embody. For this generation, self-care is essential, not a luxury; subscription models are standard, not just a convenience, and eco-friendly products are expected, not a niche market. These evolving priorities were showcased at the Tulane Innovation Institute's Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) Class of 2025 pitch competition. Sixteen students from ten New Orleans high schools presented business ideas reflecting their values, identities, and peers' needs.
Pastor John Everett of the Rock of Ages Church hosted the competition at the Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine Auditorium. It marked the culmination of months of hard work as students identified market gaps, developed prototypes, and refined their pitches. On February 24, they had just three minutes to convince a panel of judges that their ideas were viable and worthy of investment. The themes of their pitches clearly illustrated how teenagers envision the future of business: innovations addressing skin issues, wellness products designed for active lifestyles, and modern business models leveraging personalization, digital marketing, and direct-to-consumer strategies.
Pictured above, Kimberly Gramm, PhD, David & Marion Mussafer Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer at the Tulane Innovation Institute with Hayden Le and Pastor John Everett
Among the standout presentations, the first-place winner was Hayden Le, a Benjamin Franklin High School junior. She received $1,500 for her creation, Second Skin, a sheet mask designed to heal scars and maintain smooth skin. She is developing this concept with the assistance of her AP Chemistry teacher.
Rylie Lawrence, a Warren Easton High School sophomore, won $1,200 in second place. She pitched BabyCool, a temperature-regulating stroller inspired by her experience as a babysitter trying to keep a baby comfortable in New Orleans' sweltering summer heat.
Pictured above, Rylie Lawrence
Kamryn Knutzel from Benjamin Franklin High School and Camille Massengale from Louise S. McGehee School won third place and a $1,000 prize for their presentation of Poppa, a nutritional supplement designed for teen girls—an often-overlooked demographic in the supplement industry.
The audience also got into the action by voting for a People’s Choice winner: Bailee Temple from Frederick Douglass High School, who is helping students find skincare solutions that work through her e-commerce platform.
Pictured above, Camille Massengale (left) and Kamryn Knutzel (right)
Additional business ideas included a skating experience in New Orleans East, where recreational options for teenagers are limited; custom smartwatch bands that match high school colors; and a mobile veterinarian service catering to pet owners, an idea sparked from a personal experience in a rural community that had limited access to veterinary care. Every student who pitched will receive $500 seed funding to continue to develop their proposed business.
The panel of judges, composed of venture capital, healthcare, branding, and finance experts, asked students about their financial models, customer acquisition strategies, and scalability. The judges included Tommia Henry, Senior Director of People Strategy and Experience at Louisiana Blue; Kenny Welcome, Founder and CEO of KJW Capital; Kelli Saulny, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Corridor Ventures; Byron LeBlanc, Founding Partner of LeBlanc & Schuster Public Relations, Inc.; Kristy McKearn, Regional Vice President of State Affairs at Elevance Health; and Jeffrey Miller, Founder of Krillion Ventures, and Tulane Innovation Institute donor.
Pictured above (from left to right), are Kristy McKearn, Byron LeBlanc, and Kenny Welcome
“This youth education program aligns perfectly with our mission to promote entrepreneurship in the New Orleans region, beginning with the youngest members of our community,” said Sharon Goldsmith, Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs at the Tulane Innovation Institute. “It was exciting to support ideas from local high school students and introduce them to business and innovation fundamentals.”
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) is a nine-month program that guides high school students through the process of starting a real business. Developed in Rochester, New York, it is now in over twenty cities. Tulane Innovation Institute Community Program Manager Jalin Carter managed the curriculum taught by Norman Barnum and Professor Michelle Jackson.
Elevance Health, Louisiana Blue, and the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation sponsored the 2024-2025 class, and the New Orleans BioInnovation Center donated classroom space.
At the night's end, the class joined the winners to celebrate with their oversized checks. However, that was not the finale. Moving into the "Launch" trimester, over the next ten weeks, these students will focus on turning their ideas into real businesses by learning how to set up bank accounts, build marketing strategies, and gain practical experience from mentors. Their creativity and determination so far are a preview of their next steps to learn more about entrepreneurship and best business practices.
