Three Florida Students Win NFTE's Southeast Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Competition

MIAMI, May 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global entrepreneurship education nonprofit Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has named three local student businesses as the winners of its annual Southeast Regional Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge. The young entrepreneurs distinguished themselves through innovative business ideas, which they will present at the national finals in New York on October 3 to compete for the National Champion title and cash prizes from a pool of $18,000. Ten semifinalists will advance to the New York competition finals along with the winners.  

Competitors pitched their original business concepts to a panel of esteemed judges, Anthony Perez, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Miami HEAT; Barbara Steel, Managing Director of People Advisory Services, Ernst & Young, LLP; Jessica Vasquez, Assistant Manager of Marketing, Dade County Federal Credit Union; Peter Francis, Managing Director, Summit Partners; and Carlos Casas Vargas, Senior Vice President at Santander Private Banking International, who selected a first-place winner to receive $1,500, a second-place winner to receive $1,000 and a third-place winner to receive $500.

• 1st Place: Sasha Stoppi of Miami-Dade County's New World School of the Arts with Noodlepudding, creators of Pudding Buddies (a portable plush toy with built-in fidget toys for neurodivergent students).
• 2nd Place: Sarai Umansor Morales of Central East Florida's Palm Beach Gardens High School with Fiery, a retail and manufacturing business that sells affordable car rims made from recycled aluminum.
• 3rd Place: Demi McKinley of Central West Florida's Dr. Kiran C. Patel High School with Piwich Pro, makers of the Piwich (a pizza sandwich handmade with only organic products).

"We are so proud of these brilliant young minds and in awe of their commitment to entrepreneurship and making a difference in this world," said Dr. J.D. LaRock, CEO of NFTE. "Through their creativity and original ideas, our students demonstrate the power of their generation to transform their communities. When young people are given a platform to sharpen their skills and rise to their full potential, our economy and society thrive."

The NFTE Southeast Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge was presented by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) and Santander, with signature support from Gen-You Dade County Federal Credit Union, and associate support from the Citi Foundation, Nicaragua Cargo Express, Print Basics, and The Giving Closet.   

Visit nfte.com to learn more. For media inquiries, contact Vanessa Hsia at 929-551-3813 ([email protected]); or Denise Berkhalter at 917-281-4362 ([email protected]). 

SOURCE NFTE