Rocket Tutors Wins $10,000 Grand Prize in the 2024 Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge – TechBuzz News

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Rocket Tutors today won the final event of the 2024 Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge (HSUEC) and won the Sue Gibson Grand Prize of $10,000. Rocket Tutors is a team at West High School building a free 1:1 online math tutoring application.

The business idea competition, open to all Utah high school students, saw 20 teams advance to the final event. They competed for $30,000 in cash and scholarships. The competition is sponsored by the Lassonde Entrepreneurial Institute, an interdisciplinary division of the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business, and sponsored by Zions Bank.

Rocket Tutors team member Shina Agarwal said she started the business with her brother Alia after a personal experience of needing a tutor.

“Last year, I started really struggling in my math class, and my parents put me on online tutoring, and that really started to help me,” said Agarwal, a senior at West High School. Told. “So my brother and I came up with the idea that there are a lot of students who are struggling for reasons other than not having the means to pay their tuition.”

Rocket Tutors provides free tutoring through donations from businesses and individuals. Donors receive tax benefits and the opportunity to impact people’s lives, and Rocket Tutors collects a small transition fee to cover business expenses.

“I think our idea is important because there are a lot of students out there who are struggling with math, and there are a lot of students who can’t afford private tutoring. So it’s a huge impact. I think it has the potential to give us more,” Agarwal said.

Each team in the Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge identified a problem and proposed a creative solution. See the list below for details and descriptions of the top 20 teams.

“There were many great teams competing this year, and it was very difficult for the judges to choose a winner from the top 20 teams,” said Logan Boggeswang, student director of the Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge. “I encourage all Utah high school students to learn more about this contest and participate next year. Applications will open in the fall. All you need is a business idea to participate.”

Other top winners this year include: Manku Skateboarding of American Fork High School placed him second ($5,000). and third place went to Herriman High School’s Sailrugs ($2,500).

Among other awards, Weber High School’s “Pee Ball” was awarded a $2,000 College of Science Scholarship. Additionally, the Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge presented the Davis School District Catalyst Center with a Community Impact Award for its efforts to inspire young entrepreneurs.

All of the top 20 teams in the competition received a spot in the Lassonde Founders program, which includes a $1,000 housing stipend for students to live at Lassonde Studios and launch together.

The High School Utah Entrepreneurship Challenge is the youth version of the University Utah Entrepreneurship Challenge, and this year it is offering $100,000 in prizes and cash prizes.

HSUEC Winners 2024

Sue Gibson Grand Prize, $10,000 (award sponsored by Zions Bank): rocket tutor (Nishitaka)

2nd Place, $5,000 (Zions Bank): mank skateboard (American Folk High)

3rd Place, $2,500 (Zions Bank): sail lugs (Herriman High School)

Online voting top prize, $500 (Zions Bank): non-residual infusion bag (Skyline High)

Finalist Prize (x20), $100 (Zions Bank): All finalists

Lassonde Studios Founders Scholarship, $1,000 (Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute): All finalists

College of Science Scholarship, $2,000 (University of Utah College of Science): pee ball (Weber High School)

Community Impact Award, $2,500 (Entrepreneurs Association): catalyst center (Davis School District)

HSUEC Top 20 Teams 2024

The top 20 teams in the 2023-24 Utah High School Entrepreneurship Challenge are: These teams will advance to the final event.

all in one shoes (Hillcrest High) – All-in-one shoes are footwear solutions that combine innovation, convenience, and affordability. This product features an interchangeable sole that allows you to easily switch between different styles and features. Simple removal and installation mechanisms provide convenience to consumers. With a breathable insole, replaceable outsole and versatile outer layer, they offer a versatile, convenient and comfortable shoe.

Apol O2 (Stansbury High School) – ApolloO2 has developed a prototype to help people suffering from sleep apnea. They have developed a device that monitors blood oxygen levels and alerts individuals to seek medical attention in dangerous situations. The device is designed to be cost-effective and an affordable product that can be purchased at your local pharmacy and used to determine if oxygen deficiency is occurring. It has the potential to reduce the level of undiagnosed sleep apnea worldwide.

Boxed (Timpanogos High) – Based on the belief that learning can and should be fun, the idea for an educational subscription box service focused on child development called “Boxed” was born . Their business model works by releasing curated, research-backed study kits filled with items that fit into a unique monthly theme. These boxes contain activities that engage children in foundational development opportunities with themes such as community service, first aid, art history, and fashion design.

green dream (Skyline High) – GreenDream’s product DreamGreen is an innovative and smart irrigation system focused on sustainability, accessibility, and flexibility. It provides consumers with an easy and reliable way to water their plants by detecting soil moisture levels and irrigating appropriately until that level reaches a user-entered threshold. User-centric threshold customization revolutionizes the smart irrigation system market by providing high-quality, adjustable options at an affordable price.

guardian buddy (Skyline High) – GuardianBuddy aims to reduce the statistics of child and pet deaths due to overheating in hot cars. Compared to many options on the current market, GuardianBuddy’s innovative design is more effective while delivering a competitive price point. The company’s product consists of multiple sensors paired with an intuitive app that alerts parents to dangerous conditions inside the vehicle. GuardianBuddy has the potential to reduce the number of preventable deaths by gaining access to a wider market.

handy (Skyline High) – Handi is a platform that connects skilled workers and users to solve all their household problems. By focusing on providing jobs to local skilled workers, we provide an affordable and accessible way for our customers to hire these workers. Handi not only connects local communities, but also creates a global community where users can empathize with each other about issues and share issue-specific tips and tricks. Handi handles everything in one space.

Hash High Lab Co., Ltd. (Park City High School) – Hash Hive Labs is a mobile cryptocurrency mining company. Their first product is Hash Hive, an application that can be downloaded onto smartphones and mines digital currency through the unused processing power of users’ phones.

Hopeware (Academy for Math Engineering & Science) – Hopewear is a sustainable, eco-friendly line of clothing that promotes mental health through positive messages in our clothing. The daily clothing waste is equivalent to filling one and a half Empire State Buildings. That’s why Hopewear upcycles deadstock and recycled textiles into our clothing. Mental health is a core value and sets their positive design apart. 10% of every purchase goes toward mental health treatment costs. These activities address fast fashion and mental health issues and provide real-time support.

mank skateboard (American Fork High) – Munk Skateboarding aims to be a positive message to motivate you while skateboarding or doing something difficult. They want to create a product similar to suede patches that you put on your shoes to protect them while skating and extend their lifespan.

non-residual infusion bag (Skyline High) – The founders were inspired when they noticed a slight brown residue on their grandmother’s anemia iron bag. The residual volume was 1.0 ml in the 2-port bag and 2.7 ml in the 3-port bag. The occurrence of wasted drugs and dosing inaccuracies led the founders to seek solutions to minimize drug residue and optimize drug usage.

practical (American Preparatory Academy – Draper) – GenKit aims to be a generator kit that can be installed on any bicycle and meets the needs of consumers.

rocket tutor (West High School) – Rocket Tutors is a free, one-on-one online math tutoring nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting high school and middle school students with their studies. Its unique donor-funded model not only supports students, but also provides tax benefits to businesses and individuals who contribute to its cause. They maintain small transaction costs to cover expenses and keep the nonprofit running. We employ experienced teachers who go through a vetting process to ensure quality education.

sail lugs (Herriman High) – Sailrugs manufactures high quality handmade tuff rugs. Typically, clients approach founders with the desire to have their business’s logo or other art form turned into a rug. Custom rugs range in price from $100 to $1,000.

Spirulo (Weber High) – SPIRLO is a natural sports drink with organic and detoxifying ingredients that is a good choice. This is possible with the help of key ingredients: coconut water and algae. Thanks to these superfood ingredients, you’ll replenish your electrolytes without added sugar or sodium. SPIRLO is the perfect solution for active and health-conscious consumers. Drink SPIRLO for the ultimate refreshment experience.

crepe spot (Cyprus High) – Half healthy, totally delicious. Crepes that impress you every time you eat them. This crepe is not only delicious but also healthy. Our crepes in a variety of flavors are low in sugar, contain no preservatives, and contain 100% natural fruit. These crepes have a well-prepared menu with fully customizable options. In addition to operating a food truck, the founders also plan to provide catering services for large events.

pee ball (Weber High) – The purpose of the pee ball is to prevent and deter your dog from creating yellow blind spots on your lawn after urinating. When your dog urinates on your lawn, it deposits large amounts of nitrogen and salts, giving your lawn a yellow or burnt appearance. His three-layer approach to pee balls attempts to remove these harmful chemicals from your lawn, while increasing your lawn’s ability to grow in the process.

warm years (American Fork High) – The Headband With by WarmEars has a secure pocket on the side to insert a hand warmer. So, this will keep you and your head warm during the winter when you’re skiing, hunting, shoveling snow from your driveway, or just about anything else. The founder tested pockets in different situations to see if the hand warmer would fall out.

wasp barrier (Pleasant Grove High) – Wasp Barrier is a specialized product that provides a unique and effective solution for repelling wasps while creating a safe environment for humans, pets, and livestock. Wasp Barrier is a 2-inch plastic sphere filled with rosemary scent. Customers can simply peel off the paper to reveal the adhesive backing, attach the wasp barrier to the structure, stick the product firmly to the structure, and start repelling wasps.

weber ring (American Fork High) – Weber Rings recycles old skateboards and allows skaters to make rings from old skateboard decks, creating stacked wooden rings that are unique, stylish, and comfortable.

Whimsical Sculpt Gardens (Granite Technical Institute) – WhimsiSculpt Gardens is an outlet for your whimsical fantasies and imagination with magical fairy garden kids kits. Packaged in color, this kit includes a clear acrylic hanging globe, faux moss, mini house or bridge, animal charms, miniature colorful flowers, bushes or trees, fluorite pebbles, and picture cards. Includes instructions. No glue or external supplies required. We also offer additional charms, crystals, locks and butterfly clips. Children can change the decorative landscape frequently.