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Friends of the Children-Boston (Friends-Boston), on Saturday will host the 2017 Achievers Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition, an event where 25 middle and high school youth from neighborhoods of Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan will present pitches for innovative business plans that would have a positive impact on their communities. For the last 14 weeks, these youth, whom we call Achievers, have gone through a rigorous entrepreneurship program with the support of Santander Bank, where they learn how to develop entrepreneurial solutions to address some of the critical needs in the community.
During the entrepreneurship program, they also had the chance to earn and save money as they gained different competencies. Saturday is the culminating event where teams will pitch their business plans in front of some of Boston’s top business leaders. During the competition, teams will present for 10 minutes, and judges will have 10 minutes to ask follow-up questions or give feedback.
After the presentations are completed, judges will convene to choose the winner. The winning team will receive $2,500, based on the strength of the business plan, strength of community impact and strength of presentation. Additionally, the judges will recommend a team that demonstrated the most learning from failures and best efforts. This team will be recognized with a $1,000 award. Lastly, members of the public will have the opportunity to meet the entrepreneurs, learn about their proposed businesses, and vote for their favorite ideas. Examples of businesses that will be pitched are a bookstore that also sells smoothies, a pay-what-you-can landscaping business, and a children’s clothing thrift store.
Friends-Boston is a revolutionary organization with the mission of breaking the cycle of generational poverty by engaging children facing the highest risks in 12.5 years of transformative, professional mentoring relationships from kindergarten through high school graduation. As a chapter of the national Friends of the Children network, Friends-Boston serves more than 124 youth who are considered to be the most vulnerable children of Boston. Friends-Boston’s Financial Literacy and Incentive-Based Savings Program is made possible by the generous support from Santander Bank. Through the partnership, Santander Bank and its employees dedicated more than 100 volunteer hours teaching financial literacy, entrepreneurship and supporting the general needs of the organization.
What: The Achiever Entrepreneur Business Plan Competition
When: Saturday, June 24, 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Where: Fort Point Room, Atlantic Wharf, 290 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
Who: 25 Achievers and their professional mentors
Judges include:
- Michael J. Cleary, Head of Consumer and Business Banking for Santander Bank
- Gianne Doherty, Educational speaker, clean beauty advocate, co-founder of Organic Bath Co. and founder of The W.E.L.L. Summit
- Betty Francisco, founder of FitNation Ventures and Reimagine Play
- Bruce Gellerman, award-winning journalist, member of WBUR’s Bostonomix team
- Phillip Gonzalez, senior program officer for Tufts Health Plan Foundation
