Innovate WithIN Organizers Looking for Applicants

(IIB Photo/Mary-Rachel Redman)

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The Indiana Economic Development Corp. and The STARTedUP Foundation are looking for applicants in this year’s Innovate WithIN pitch competition. The statewide initiative allows high school students, as individuals or teams, to present their entrepreneurial ideas for a chance to win $25,000 in funding, scholarships and other prizes.

This is the fourth year for the competition with last year’s event featuring more than 400 students from 50 schools throughout the state. 

“Innovate WithIN gets Hoosier students plugged in to Indiana’s thriving and engaged entrepreneurial community,” Governor Eric Holcomb said in a news release. “This program fosters a pioneering spirit among our leaders of tomorrow, and every year I’m amazed by the innovative ideas these students pitch and the hard work they put into their business plans.”

Students have until February 28 to submit their initial video pitches. Organizers will then narrow the field down to 10 competitors for each of the nine regions of the state. The virtual regional pitch competitions, to be held in late April, will result in one winner from each region, plus one “wild card” participant, who will compete in the state finals in June.

In an interview last month with Inside INdiana Business, STARTedUP Foundation Chief Executive Officer Don Wettrick said organizers hope to hold the state finals in person if allowed by public health officials.

The winners will receive a $10,000 cash prize, $10,000 toward one year of in-state tuition, college scholarship award opportunities, internship opportunities, and mentoring services, among other prizes.

Last year’s winners were Megan Jones, Joshua Breitsprecher and Abigale Haluska from Hobart High School. The team created The Remedy Glove, a medical device designed to help people with arthritis.

You can learn more about the competition by clicking here.