KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship Announces Winners of Student Startup Competition

Press Release (ePRNews.com) - SARASOTA, Fla. - Apr 05, 2017 - KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship (KFE) is delighted to announce the winners for this year’s People’s Choice Student Startup Awards in the for-profit and nonprofit categories. The People’s Choice Student Startup Awards offers business grants to winning startups run by founders 25 or younger and is a joint collaboration between KFE and HatchPad, a new social learning network and collaboration platform for student entrepreneurs. HatchPad provides the platform for student entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses and participate in competitions and KFE provides the funding for the business grants.

The winners were evaluated by the judges based on the following criteria: Problem/Solution, Feasibility, Competition, Go-to-market Plan, Investor Video Presentation, and the “Wow” Factor. In addition, judges took into consideration the quality and conciseness of investor materials including a pitch deck, an executive summary, and a financial model.  Judges also provide feedback.

Grand Prize Winners receive a $2,500 business grant and Runners Up receive a $250 business grant. In addition, all winners will receive a KidBacker t-shirt and HatchPad swag, free follow up coaching, coverage in the HatchPad blog, and promotion on KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship’s website.

For-Profit Winners

Grand Prize: Detrapel – Superhydrophobic Repellent Using Nanotechnology (Philadelphia, PA)

Runner Up: Centree – Smart Cities and Car Crash Detection (Atlanta, GA)

Nonprofit Winners

Grand Prize: Transfernation –  Food Rescue From Events to Underserved Communities (New York, NY)

Runner Up: TeensGive.org – Connecting Teens With High-Quality Volunteer Opportunities (Purchase, NY)

“I am very impressed by the quality of the submissions and the passion that these young founders have demonstrated. And it’s not just the passion that is inspiring, it’s the fact that these young entrepreneurs are in high school, applying to college, in their first year of college or in some cases, focusing their first jobs right out of college while also running an active company. These are not lemonade stand ideas but rather businesses that solve real problems for large markets,” says Heather Holst-Knudsen, Chairman of the Board and Founder, KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship and CEO & Founder of HatchPad.

Judges include:

Cristin Frodella, Global Head Marketing, Google for Education

Danielle Strachman, Founding Partner, 1517 Fund

Renee Farmer, Managing Partner, Rainmaker Capital

Barbara Raho, Angel Investor and co-founder of Urban Outfitters

Holly Zimmerman, Managing Director, Golden Seeds

Mario Ciampi, Partner, Prentice Capital and former President The Disney Store

Aaron Easaw, Managing Director, Ace Capital

KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship and Hatchpad have positioned themselves to attract, develop and fund the next generation of talent and business leaders to lead sustainable economic growth around the world. KidBacker Foundation for Entrepreneurship is a critical part of our children’s future.