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Written by Hibah Samad
Three MiraCosta students are competing in a national competition aimed at promoting entrepreneurship. Ninth grade students Charlotte Huang and Wyatt Newbill and her 12th grade student Taylor Ryan were selected for the 2024 age division. “Why didn’t I think of that?” Competition By the Intellectual Property Owner Education Foundation (IPOEF). Only nine people from all over the country were selected as finalists.
The voting-based virtual contest is in full swing and will continue until February 14th. Taylor and Ryan represent her company as she is in the 16+ category. Unstoppable Protective Gear, LLCwhich she founded in the 8th grade.
“I recently received a patent. When I found out there was a competition for young entrepreneurs who obtained a patent before turning 18, I knew I had to throw it in the ring,” Ryan said. “I mean, what are the chances of finding competition this niche?”
Ryan created the first ever wearable and flexible set of breast protection cups for women. As a lacrosse player, she was tired of hits to her chest slowing her down, but she said her protective cup gave her the confidence to play harder. she speaks. At age 14, she participated in the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce (MBCC)’s Young Entrepreneur Academy (YEA!) program, where she won first place and was selected to the Young Entrepreneur Academy’s (YEA!) 12th Annual Sanders Scholars National Competition. I participated.
“I’m a young female entrepreneur filling a need in the women’s sports industry,” Ryan said. “Men have been protected since the late 1800s. Women’s sports are changing and it’s time for our uniforms to reflect that.”
In addition to the age requirement of being under 18 years old, the Entrepreneurship Competition requires students to apply only if they have an original invention and have intellectual property protection such as a patent, trademark, copyright, or trade secret. I can. Finalists submitted pitch videos to promote their inventions. In the 13-15 year old category, 9th graders Phan and Newbill pitched their business called Tereus, an eco-friendly, 100% biodegradable Styrofoam alternative made from four simple materials. Styrofoam alternatives effectively address the issue of reducing the use, waste, and emissions of harmful microplastics in the environment.
“Tereus can and will help the world in the future,” Newbill said. “Recent research adds to the growing body of evidence that plastics are in everything and harm all living things. We think it is there and needs to be addressed.”
Like Ryan, Newbill and Huang have already received national attention for their inventions. Last year, they placed in competitions at local, state, national, and global invention competitions. At the state level, Tereus won the Most Marketable Award and was eligible for a provisional patent. He also placed 8th at the Raytheon Technologies National Championship. As they moved forward, they realized that Tereus’ vision, which started in their own kitchen, could have a bigger impact on the world. The students are currently working on obtaining their business licenses.
“We put a lot of time and effort into Tereus, and it’s very rewarding to receive an award like this,” said Huang. “We realized that by continuing these contests, we could not only bring a compelling focus to this big issue at hand, but also inspire younger generations to do the same.”
Ryan said the whole experience was rich in life lessons.
“I learned a lot from running a business,” she said. “But my two biggest takeaways are body language and time management.”
And with sales continuing to grow steadily, Ryan wants to win this competition and take the next big step in his business. Hwang and Newbill continue to develop Tereus as well, and are primarily excited about its future development as a replacement for Styrofoam across the transportation sector and around the world.
Once winners are announced, they will receive business and IP coaching from industry experts and recognition across IPOEF, which reaches thousands of IP professionals, innovators, and educators.
Voting is open until February 14th. ipoef.org/why-didnt-i-think-of-that/.
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